Reflections for the Working Soul: Forgive, and be forgiven

Friday, July 26, 2013

Forgive, and be forgiven

+ RWS 557 July 28, 2013

17^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel: Luke 11: 1-13

4 “… and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test."

Forgiving

By Bishop Precioso D. Cantillas, SDB, DD

Asking forgiveness and forgiving are essential parts of our life as mortals. Jesus, our Savior, taught us to ask the Father to forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. In our relationship with God and others, then, we need to humble ourselves and implore the Almighty for His mercy on us; likewise, we also need to stoop down to those who may have wronged us, and offer our forgiving hands to them. Having and nurturing this forgiving attitude then is necessary in our life. I think that our experience in work and at work, teaches us how to ask forgiveness and to be forgiving to others.

While reason tells us that we need to work in order to eat, faith in God makes us accept the burden of having to work as expiation for our sins; as our share in the redemptive work of Christ, who suffered and died on the cross in obedience to the will of the Father to save us. The worker then, who believes, will approach his work as part of his plea for God’s mercy on him. Keeping such humble attitude before God as the worker goes to work, will impact greatly and positively on the performance of the worker at his job. Expectedly, the worker will do his best to make his work as a convincing proof of his sorrow for sins and his desire to be at peace with God. Work then, gives the worker a great opportunity to merit God’s favor and mercy. Consequently, the worker will find it easy to ask his boss or his co-workers forgiveness if and when he causes them wrong.

Work and all its punishing demands somehow inflicts on us some hurts, which we need to “forgive”. We can complain and be forever unwelcoming of work and the hardships it imposes on us. But, such negative attitude towards work will not help us and keep us healthy. We need to be kind and forgiving to our work, co-workers, and even our bosses, if we want to enjoy the goodness and happiness in life which God our Father has gifted us with.

The root of hurt feelings

By Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS

Even workplaces populated by the most educated, intelligent, or polite people are prone to squabbles every now and then. There are misunderstandings, personality clashes, conflicts in ideas or priorities, differing perceptions, wrong assumptions—which more often than not lead to hurt feelings. When these clashes result in stalemate, they slow down work. To turn things around it is important for those involved (and everybody in general) to realize that these conflicts are some of the very challenges that bring out the best in us, compelling us to think out of our own personal box and to view things with a truly open mind.

There is a way to overcome hurt feelings, and that is by tracing their roots and seeing them for what they are. In the very core of things you’ll see that hurt feelings stem from an inordinate self-esteem that makes you feel you are the best and cannot ever be wrong; thus you are hurt when circumstances point to the contrary. The situation worsens when the other person (your “enemy”) has a self-esteem that’s just as misplaced as yours. Then nobody wants to give way—it becomes a power play where the most important thing for the playors are their hurt feelings and their pride, not the work they are supposed to do together.

The workplace is an intimate community where everybody is expected to be a team player in order that the company’s goals may be reached—bearing a grudge has no place here. We Filipinos like to think we are a prayerful people—look how we display our piety even in our workplaces. But if we find it beneath us to forgive or ask to be forgiven by a coworker, so that our shared work may be smoothly accomplished, then face it: we are merely praying the Our Father with our mouths, not with our hearts.

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What they say about 'Reflections for the Working Soul', the book

Day in and out, the Inquirer brims with news. That's the Inquirer's strength: A frenzy of in-your-face news daily. Almost always the bad news. Then Reflections for the Working Soul happened every Sunday. Suddenly, we had (and have) an oasis of Good News. For reflection. For serenity. Not up there in the clouds. But right here in the dailiness of living and working with real people some of whom can really get on one’s nerves.

Thanks to Bishop Precioso D. Cantillas and Teresa R. Tunay. In three paragraphs or less, they offer a way and an attitude in the workplace not just for Sundays but for my day-to-day lifestyle to keep in touch with what works in relationships, including people one can barely stand working with. They sort out for me what’s important and really counts in life and living in the workplace as a microcosm of the real world.

So, I look forward eagerly to reading the Good News bylined by the bishop and Tunay. Because they speak to me personally about how to be most effective and productive at work while at the same time staying connected to the Good News, and thus staying in a state of serenity and grace. Providentially, their names—Precioso and Tunay (precious and true)—sum up their contributions to the development of the Inquirer as an instrument and institution of the Good News of the Lord.

—Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc
Editor-in-Chief, Philippine Daily Inquirer

From Bishop Rolly Tria Tirona:

Giving flesh and bones to our Christian faith has always been the challenge for every Christian. Translating belief in Christ into Christ-like action is extremely demanded in market and work places. Christian work ethics is the fruit of inspiration and not of pure legislation.

Reflections for the Working Soul, a weekly column of Ms Teresa Tunay and Bishop Precioso Cantillas in a newspaper section catering primarily to people at work, provides that inspiration for the many working people desirous to integrate their belief with their work.

These joint reflections make the Gospel teachings so reachable to busy people. Their insights help working people understand that they do matter in the transformation of our society and of our country. In their reflections, they show that work can lead to contemplation, while contemplation sanctifies and elevates their work to the heart of God.

I salute and congratulate Ms. Teresa Tunay and Bishop Precioso Cantillas for being the instruments of the Holy Spirit to warm and lift up the spirit of our working people.

Most Rev. Rolando J. Tria Tirona, OCD
Bishop Prelate of Infanta
15 April 2007, Divine Mercy Sunday

Carmelite priest Junjun Agruda says:

In the mountains, geologists and miners use the elegant term "angle of repose" to describe the precise angle at which a boulder will rest on the side of a hill, rather than tumble downward. I think of that image as the point at which prayer and action meet. Every so often one of those boulders breaks loose, releasing potential energy in a crashing rockslide that permanently alters the landscape.

The creative ways in which Prayer and earthiness are wedded in these Relfections for the Working Soul forge a spirituality that makes room for piety as well as for activism. Bishop Precioso Cantillas and Ms. Teresa Tunay have grasped the nature of Prayer as partnership with God’s activity on earth. These reflections bring us to that "angle of repose", the place where contemplation and prayerful action meet. Thus in the process, the act of Prayer emboldens us to join the work of transforming the world into a place where the Father’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.

—Fr. Mariano Agruda III, OCD
Provincial Superior,
Order of Discalced Carmelites, Philippines

Bishop Stude comments:

Two beautiful minds, talented persons very much respected, committed and sefless in their respective works, have gifted us with an inspiring and interesting book, Reflections for the Working Soul. The skillful authors—Bishop Precioso Cantillas and Ms. Teresa Tunay—make the Sunday Gospels more applicable, much alive in the work world. The inspiring book enhances spirituality in the workplace and imparts refreshing reflections which encourage and challenge one to make the workplace a ‘good soil’ (Mark 4,8) and to ‘bear fruit: some thirty, some sixty,and some one hundred’ (Mark 4,20).

Reading Reflections for the Working Soul is to know that the words of its gifted authors are their works, and their works are their witnessing for Jesus and His Gospels. With our works and in our places, Bishop Precioso Cantillas and Ms. Teresa Tunay take and turn us to ‘see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven’ (Matthew 5,16).

—Monsignor Ruperto Cruz Santos
Bishop of Balanga

From Monsignor Hernando Coronel:

The teamwork between Bishop Cantillas and Teresa Tunay is the application of the Second Vatican Council teaching regarding the transformation of society. A cleric and a layperson combined their personal insights to give light on the values needed in the workplace. Indeed, they have witnessed against a rat race world, a dog-eat-dog milieau, a corporate atmosphere of power and control. Their spirituality of the workplace heralds the values of the Gospel in the business setting, that it is important to pray before deciding, to seek God’s will before acting in the commercial sphere. Theirs is an advocating of building a faith community in the workplace where Christian principles reign and are lived out.

—Monsignor Hernando Coronel
Archdiocese of Manila

Fr. Mario Baclig, SDB, says:

If once we had worker-priests, now we have a genuine worker-bishop. And this book is proof of this. Bishop Cantillas is himself a worker; he grew up in Don Bosco Cebu getting his hands soiled and greasy in the machine shop. When he was nominated bishop, he had all set and ready a pastor’s staff that he had been fabricating for someone else. And now, a published compilation of his thoughts for workers. This is a precious gift for today’s workers, from a worker-bishop!

Teresa Tunay is his partner in this endeavor. She comes with her unique journalistic talent and creativity. But more than that, she brings in a rare sensitivity to the simple and often unnoticed lives of ordinary workers. Her love and concern for young workers has kept the Blue Collar magazine going despite all odds. I cannot wait to get hold of this book. How I wish that workers worldwide would have a similar privilege!

—Fr. Mario Baclig, SDB
Salesiana Publishers

From the late Fr. James Reuter, SJ:

The secret of doing anything well is to love what you are doing —to enjoy your job. If, when you wake each morning, you are eager to meet the challenge of this day; if your mind is filled with it, joyfully, when you are brushing your teeth, when you are in the shower, when you are drinking your coffee. . . . . .your work will be a smash! What these 'Reflections' do is to remind you that your work is an apostolate. . . you are serving the children of God. You might not have silver and gold, but what you have you give—yourself! And that is the most beautiful gift of all. This little book makes you realize that you are serving God. . . every day, every hour, every moment. . . . in the market place. It is worth reading—one set of reflections every day. It will fill your life with love. You will go to work smiling.

—Fr. James Reuter, SJ
Director, National Office on Mass Media for the Catholic Church in the Philippines