We have become so accustomed to think of specifically religious environments, such as churches, as the place for meeting God, for encountering the sacred, that we hesitate before any invitation to consider the sacred dimension of all reality, any invitation to find God in all things.

God, however, is much greater than religion and, paradoxically enough, religious professionals need the same sort of creative reflectivity as business executives to find God in their professional lives, not to mention that they have the same need for integrity and ethical behavior. I am comforted that a churchman, Archbishop William Temple, said: "It is a mistake to think that God is only, or even chiefly, interested in religion."

As scripture has it, "God is love, and the one who does not know love, does not know God." It is not only in pro bono work or in community service neither outside the office nor even in the family that we are called to love God and one another, but also in the manifold tasks of our businesses. Jesuit paleontologist Teilhard de Chardin maintained that scientific research is very close to worship.

Shall we not also experience in the adventures of our professional lives a similar sense of awe and wonder before the whole reality of which we are a part ands so be very close to worship here as well? Saint Irenaeus wrote, "The glory of God is humanity fully alive." Being fully alive as a businessperson is to do very well that which we are called to do and in doing so we will be giving glory to God.

This should not be too surprising, for worship is a momentous expression of love for God "with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength," as the Torah has it and the Gospels echo. Certainly, our challenge and call is not to experience that just in our houses of worship, but throughout our days. Our hearts and souls and minds and strength are given to the seemingly very worldly tasks before us, but, wondrously, if we allow God's love to permeate all, our dedicated immersion in the most prosaic and secular of activities is for us our continuing worship and love of God, and, at the same time, our love of neighbor.

Christian social teaching demands that citizens and public officials alike give serious consideration in all matters to the promotion of the common good, to the welfare of society as a whole, which must be protected and promoted if individual rights are to be upheld. In order to be credible, in order to be faithful to our religious traditions, our work in the world should be comprehensive and it should be consistent. It must be formulated with competence; it must have an awareness of the complexity of issues and avoid simplistic, pietistic answers. Being religious does not deny us of our political responsibilities nor does it ever deprive us of our rights as citizens.

I am reminded of an ancient story about one of the monks of the Egyptian desert. A very holy monk, by the name of Paphnutius, was given a vision of the death of a very well to do merchant in Alexandria, whom he seems to have known before he fled to the desert. He saw this entrepreneur being carried by angels to a very choice seat in heaven, closer to the Throne of God than the seat clearly reserved for Paphnutius! The monk cried out to God: "This man who spent his life in buying and selling of baubles, in bringing in by ship and by camel from other lands perfumes and dyes and brightly colored cloth to nourish the vanity of his customers! How is it that he is rewarded with a seat higher than mine? I have been here fifty years in the desert, fasting and praying and living in a cave and he has lived a life full of trivialities!" Came the voice from God: "This merchant may have indeed seemed to be only involved in trivialities, but he was doing it all for love of his fellow men and women, to lift their hearts and give them joy!"

So may it be with us. Whatever we may be engaged in may seem indeed far from the "coming of the Kingdom of God." If you are able, however, to open your eyes and glimpse a bit of the full picture, your seemingly quite worldly occupations will glow with the presence of God and your services to others truly be seen as assistance of your fellow pilgrims moving towards the fullness of life. With the Spirit of God working in our hearts, our immersion in redemption is one with our enthusiastic and loving immersion in our work. Joy is always the infallible sign of God's presence!

LIFE, like war, is a series of mistakes,
and he is not the best Christian nor the best general
who makes the fewest mistakes.
Poor mediocrity may secure that,
but he is best who wins
the most splendid victories
by the retrieval of mistakes.

- Robertson