When Ambition Leads to Omission
“They shall die in their sins, but I will hold you responsible for their blood” (Ezekiel 33:8).
It’s a common belief that our faith is something personal that we do not need to broadcast. They emphasize the Biblical verse that directs us to lock the door in prayer so that the Father alone may know our acts (Matthew 6:6). Without saying so explicitly, to these people, faith is a solo journey. Yet, when we make it a point to conceal the truth, we can keep ourselves from powerful forms of evangelization.
Swayed by Acceptance or Apathy
We may find that we gain much through popularity, but we should not place social or even client validation over the kingdom of God. We are called to bring light, not just to others who are in the light but across areas of vast darkness. If we hide our beliefs in the workplace, there may come a time when our silence brings us full restriction of religious expression and, even worse, the loss of many endangered souls. It should not be left to clergy or theologians to spread news about our faith. As set forth in “Lumen Gentium,” we all, laypeople included, are called to be saints and to represent Christ in our daily acts.
Track Down and Overcome Your Inhibitions
Do you restrain your perspective or speech at work to suit everyone around you, even to the detriment of your faith? Do you conform to all secular norms, filtering your holiday greetings or avoiding remarks like “God bless you”? The sin of omission is the avoidance or neglect of faith and good works or the refusal to show Christ to others.
Honoring the faith should not be an act that we reserve for our inner circles, intimate spaces, or Sunday Mass. We must also bring our Catholic faith into the environment where we spend most of our time: our workplace. In “Evangelii Gaudium,” Pope Francis reminds us that evangelization is primarily about reaching people who do not know Jesus Christ or who have always rejected him. The practice of your faith should not stop at the entrance of your office.
Implicit Evangelization
Evangelization does not always have to be instructional. If someone asks about your plans after work, for example, joyfully express that you will be visiting an Adoration chapel. People can learn a lot from your body language, space, moral consistencies, and compliments. It might be a symbol on a business card, a religious object you keep on your desk, an email sign-off, or a crucifix you wear above your blouse. We all have different God-given talents and positions in life, so we all have different ways to share the Word.
Continually assess how your work situation could be affecting your ability to imitate Jesus. As Christ poignantly stated, “What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” (Mark 8:36). Whenever you find yourself slipping into shame about abandoning the faith, don’t dismiss that feeling. Set aside some time to ponder how you might improve. Organize and practice an appropriate response to counter your outward resistance to living out the Gospel. It is through God’s grace alone that we find strength to endure.
Berthe Emmanuella Antoine is an interior designer who sees no distinction between her work life and devotion to God. She fine tunes others on how to create beautiful habitations in Christ from their domestic surroundings to the innermost parts of their being. Her rule of life has led her to launch INTERIOREM VITAM, a Catholic decor blog and boutique with a sleek and classic aesthetic. She is forever whisked away into the intricacies of hidden devotions and the silence of the interior life. She hopes to build a fruitful community around the brand’s mobile app. Feel free to join and start a conversation with your comments.