Mass at Work

Whenever we are sent out from each mass, our mass has never ended. In fact, the priest will send us with, ‘Go in the peace of Christ’. This means that we are sent forth to continue our mass with others no matter where we are outside church. It is rather amusing that sometimes, once some people are out of church after the mass, they may start living as if they have not participated in the mass at all. Such negative attitudes can be shown through fighting with others to get out of the church carpark, scolding people, etc.

Work takes up most of the time of most working adults. We spend at least 8 hours of our time daily at work. That will mean that most part of our waking hours will be taken up by work. I do agree with one of my friends telling me that one’s inner state of mind and spiritual state will show through his work. How we behave at work will be the manifestation of what is inside us. When we participate in the mass actively, we will be active in receiving God’s Love and mercy through the Body of Christ and it depends on whether we would like to extend such Love and mercy to the others wherever we go. This also applies to workplace.

Work is never easy. God has His purpose in placing certain people above us as our authorities. Sometimes, we may be blessed with good and kind bosses and superiors while sometimes, we may get nasty people as our bosses. Frankly speaking, I have been getting nasty bosses most of the time and I complain a lot. However, I know that I am still blessed as these so called nasty bosses are the very people who are moulding me to be a better person. Over the years, I learn to depend more and more on God as I am an impatient and wilful person who likes to do things my way. Without God, I know I can never have the patience and love to handle such people above me and thus, I can never grow. Whether I like it or not, it’s either I leave the company or learn to grow under these people.

I also tend to bump into difficult people who keep on provoking and hurting me. Sometimes, they do it because they are also broken deep within. There are many times I really want to flare up especially when they try to make things difficult for me repeatedly. I know that I can never handle things alone. Who do I have? I have Christ in me. These are the very moments where I have to keep on dying to my pride and asking God to help me to have the patience and generous heart to accept these people as they are just as or even more broken than me. No doubt, I wish I can curse them. But, that will not solve the problems. Jesus has never taught us to go for ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.’ Rather, these are the good moments for me to imitate Christ during each mass to break oneself so as to share with everyone with Love. I will always pray for strength and wisdom and self control before work each day so as to remind myself that God is in and with me even at work and set my mind right right at the beginning of each day with prayer.

Work life is unlike school. At work, we are paid for our services rendered to the companies. We are responsible for the tasks given to us. We may not like some tasks. For me, I really hate paperwork. And yet, I know I have to accept it as this will help me to accept the fact that life is not just about what I want. Sometimes, I am required to ‘go to places where I do not want to go’. This is one of the examples. In this way, I can grow to be more complete until God calls me to other places. Over the years, after exploring different fields, I become clearer where my strengths are.

To conclude, work life is never easy. It is also an area where we have to continue our mass. We don’t leave God in church and behave differently at work as if God is absent from our life at workplace. Since Jesus had died for us, all of us are here to continue his mission towards holiness through our daily living. Workplace is the very place where purification of self takes place and put the Catholic teachings into practice. We don’t just talk the talk but also walk the talk. How do we be light to the others? It is through how we handle people in our life, whether we choose to love or want things our ways. Imagine if Jesus only talked the talk. I think He could have preached but backed out and run away when called forth to die for us instead of dying for us. Love is not just mere talk. Action speaks louder than words. No matter where you are called to in life, be it study, work, home, etc., these are the very places where the mass continues until the next mass in church where we receive Him to strengthen us with Love to move on with Hope and Love in life.

Elena