The Morning Offering

Workplace Spirituality

How to Fit the Workplace into Your Spiritual Life

This blog was born out of an attempt on my part to aid a number of  my spiritual children to begin their work day with a spiritual focus. I'd asked them to read the appointed Scripture readings for the Church's liturgical cycle at their desks before beginning their jobs.

One young man had his office manager tell him that he was not permitted to bring a bible to the office because the company did not want religious symbols displayed at work, lest they cause offense to someone else. Never mind there was a Muslim woman who was allowed to wear her large head scarf and takes prayer breaks when the Islamic prayer times arrived. I asked him if he was permitted to check his email during the day. Since this was permitted, I started emailing him the daily readings. A blog was born!

Since that time I have greatly expanded my daily offering. When I turned to the blog format, it seemed appropriate to name the blog The Daily Offering. This has been a labor of love every since.

Balancing your spiritual life with the workplace can be quite challenging. I intend to address this subject in greater detail in the future, but for now let me begin by saying that the beginning of one's day should begin with prayer. Some recite their prayer rule (something that should be worked out with one's spiritual father, priest or confessor) before leaving your home. If you have children to tend to, you should get up an hour early, so you have plenty of time before getting them breakfast and sending them off to school.

If you are a commuter who takes public transportation, get in the habit of reading books that are available in your parish bookstore. Again, your priest can suggest books that would be of benefit to you. I keep a book in our van so as to have spiritual reading while waiting on the dock, or crossing on the ferry.

Use your coffee break to rereading The Morning Offering or a few chapters in your commuter book. If you head out to lunch, why not take the book along as your companion?

Many of you are so 'wired' you may also benefit from downloading on your ipods programing from Ancient Faith Radio.  And, of course, the Lord is our constant companion and the continuous repetition of the Jesus Prayer can keep us be grounded in our faith, even while working.

Using these simple examples can make a huge difference in your workday and add immensely to your own spiritual growth.

With love in Christ,

Abbot Tryphon

Monday August 1, 2011 / July 19, 2011

8^th Week after Pentecost. Tone six.

Venerable Macrina, sister of St. Basil the Great (380).
Venerable Dius, abbot, of Antioch (430).
Uncovering of the relics (1903) of Venerable Seraphim of Sarov.
Synaxis of All Saints of Kursk.
Blessed Romanus, prince of Ryazan (1270).
Venerable Paisius of the Kiev Caves (14th c.).
Blessed Stephen Lazarevich, king of Serbia (1427), and his mother St. Militsa (Eugenia in schema) (1405).
Sts. Demetrius, metropolitan of Rostov (1709), Metrophanes (1703) and Tikhon (Tychon) (1783) of Voronezh.
Icon of the Mother of God "Umileniye" ("of Tender Feeling") (1885) of Diveyevo, before which St. Seraphim reposed.
Venerable Abba Diocles of The Paradise (Greek).
St. Theodore, bishop of Edessa (848) (Greek).
New-Martyr Victor, Bishop of Glazov (1934).

The Scripture Readings for the Day:

1 Corinthians 9:13-18

¹³ Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? ¹⁴ Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.
¹⁵ But I have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void. ¹⁶ For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! ¹⁷ For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. ¹⁸ What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.

Matthew 16:1-6

The Pharisees and Sadducees Seek a Sign

 ¹ Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. ² He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; ³ and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. ⁴ A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” And He left them and departed.

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

⁵ Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. ⁶ Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”