Question to the priest problems at work with the authorities. When obedience is a job description item
Dear brothers and sisters!
We are starting a new column, the conditional name of which can be formulated as "Orthodox in the world."
The main task of the rubric is to tell how believers live in modern world. For many of our readers, the question is very relevant: what to do outside the temple? How to combine faith, Orthodox traditions and modern life? How to live Orthodox in the world? Where and how can you work? How to combine work and spiritual life? Can an Orthodox Christian “Make a Career”?
If there is already a sufficient amount of literature about how to behave in the temple, then there is practically nowhere to read about how to behave, for example, at work, what job to choose, how to relate to a career. In our section, we will introduce you to the answers of priests to questions about work, stories about how our grandfathers treated work, and about how our contemporaries live - doctors, teachers, engineers, mathematicians - in a word, people of various specialties.
Of course, it is impossible to cover all the problems, our task is to highlight the Orthodox view of the fundamental aspects of the attitude to work. We will try to find answers to the most relevant and topical questions. You can ask your questions, as well as send us a story about your work. We hope that the materials of the new section will be interesting and useful for you!
Hello! I sanitary doctor, and on duty I have to issue "permitting" documentation for the operation of slot machine halls and casinos, so am I committing a sin ?? How should I be in this case, if I cannot refuse this work.
Even a librarian, as a “public sector employee,” has to give out those books that do not always correspond to his worldview, so it’s impossible to “run away” from this temptation. Try to be more useful in other areas and do not give permission where you should not - honestly do your duty and God's mercy be with you!
Tell me, is it a sin to receive and spend wages from the so-called "black box office". Now the situation is widespread in Russia when large and small firms evade all kinds of taxes and, as it were, deceive the state. Wouldn't it be ill-earned money? I understand that the main sin is on the main leaders and organizers of this enterprise. Is it a sin if I work for them?
Hello Maxim! If you have received money for your conscientious work, they are earned righteously. But getting them from the "black box office" is complicity in embezzlement. It is necessary to repent of this at confession, and, if possible, change this situation. In many state institutions, for example, the salary is "white".
Is it possible for an Orthodox Christian to have any goals in life other than the goal of spiritual growth in the Orthodox faith (even if these are secondary goals)? For example, an interesting job with a normal salary, improving professional skills, sports. If God gave me abilities in the field of finance, trade, then it is probably a sin not to use them?
A person cannot but have goals and plans for life. The main thing is that they really remain secondary in relation to the salvation of one's own soul. And it is not sinful to use one's abilities in the economy to the extent that they are not connected with the deception of one's neighbors and other violations of God's commandments. Help you Lord!
Sincerely, priest Mikhail Samokhin.
Is it possible for an Orthodox person to combine humility, meekness, patience and self-confidence, firmness of character, purposefulness. Please tell me how to find a "golden mean", say, at work in communicating with colleagues, so that (being meek) people do not "sit on the neck" and do not scoff. I thank you in advance for your answer and sincerely hope for your advice, trusting in the help of the Lord.
Unfortunately, in our time it is customary to identify humility and meekness with softness and spinelessness. Apparently, due to the fact that we have forgotten how to defend our interests otherwise than with the help of moral or physical violence against our neighbors. Therefore, a meek and humble person is perceived precisely as an unrequited member of society. But meekness and humility is not a constant avoidance of conflicts, but the ability to resolve them without violence against oneself and others. And at a certain stage, conflicts in the life of such a person completely stop.
Perhaps all of the above is somewhat difficult to understand. In this case, it is better to turn to examples from the lives of the reverends, saints in the monastic rank. Surprising gentleness was combined in them with courage, and meekness with spiritual firmness. Meek towards personal offenders, they were capable of anger towards the enemies of the faith and their own salvation.
So you should determine the boundaries beyond which normal communication ends and manipulation and mockery begin. And defend these boundaries. But here it must be remembered that such frontiers cannot lie along the line of petty everyday problems. You have to defend what is really important.
Sincerely, priest Mikhail Samokhin.
I study at the university, play chess professionally, go to driving courses… I have faith and work on myself a lot, but I can’t distance myself from the world, achievements… In life I like to win – grades, tournaments, good relations with superiors, etc. . I want well-being, but to earn it by honest work. My problem is that when I think about God, pray, fast, I don’t see the point in everything I do - it turns out that I need to earn only so that my family and myself have enough at a minimum. But I can’t give up everything halfway, and I begin to try and achieve again ... I rush between two fires and as a result - neither fish nor fowl. I understand that it is impossible to serve two masters, but what to do?
And you don’t have to serve two Lords – you have to serve the Lord in those realities of life that you have, and try to do everything you do in His name, to do it as obedience to God. In addition, there is nothing reprehensible in worldly success as long as it does not become an end in itself - even our worldly deeds can testify to God's mercy: the main thing is to avoid vanity, envy, condemnation, all malevolence, hypocrisy, servility and greed. Remember: living in the world, we can strive for prosperity in those ways and ways that are permitted by the Law of God - the result of our labors is in the hands of the Lord. This must be remembered by everyone whose life path passes through the world.
Sincerely, Priest Alexy Kolosov
I am afraid of not recognizing in myself a talent from God to be an entrepreneur, to earn not $1,500 a month, but, say, $20,000 a month. Indeed, with a large income, there will be an opportunity to go to the temple more often and donate more money. Also dreading the question at the Last Judgment, why didn't I earn $20,000 a month (assuming I have this talent)? I consider it appropriate to expand the question: Why shouldn't all Orthodox laity become entrepreneurs? Please do not confuse this question with the question “How can all laymen become entrepreneurs?” is a good question, but I don't bring it up now. May the Lord save everyone!
From the text of the Gospel, we have an idea of what criteria will be used Last Judgment. (Mt.25, 31-46) Earnings are not among them. Concerning excessive enthusiasm for wealth, the Lord Jesus Christ warns us: “Jesus said to His disciples: Truly, I say to you, it is difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven; And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:23-24). The reason for the warning is in the human habit of hoping for wealth. Nothing prevents Orthodox people from being entrepreneurs if they continue to see the salvation of their own souls as the main goal of their lives, and put their hope in the Lord.
Sincerely, priest Mikhail Samokhin.
Hello! I really need advice from you. I'm graduating high school soon and I used to think about becoming a lawyer, but I'm very hesitant. It seems to me that this profession is not suitable for a Christian. Although there were lawyers in Russia! In general, I like this profession, but I don’t want to pay with eternal torment after death! After all, I will protect the guilty people who have done evil for other people! Wouldn't it be a sin on my part to defend a criminal? tell me what to do!?
First, the lawyer does not always protect the guilty. Secondly, the work of a lawyer gives even the guilty a certain chance for correction - whether he uses it or not for the second time. As for the rest, a lawyer (however, like each of us) must act in accordance with his conscience and commandments, and there come what may.
Sincerely, Priest Alexy Kolosov
At work, I often encounter aggressive behavior of people. There are people who swear dirty. In the soul, everything rebels against this, and if you say it, you will get more aggression in response. How to be?
Yes, foul language is one of the common vices of our time, which many do not even consider a vice. How about you? First of all, do not get annoyed, but pray. Talk to everyone calmly and kindly - this sometimes helps to remove aggression. Whether to comment depends on the situation. Sometimes you can and should immediately ask a person not to use obscene language in front of you, sometimes it’s better to wait until the aggressiveness goes away.
Help you Lord! Priest Alexander Ilyashenko
Hello! Tell me, how does the Church feel about a lie detector test when applying for a job in an ordinary commercial firm? Thank you.
There is no official opinion of the Church on the use of a lie detector, since such checks do not concern issues of faith. You can only hear the private opinions of various priests. In my opinion, this is some kind of overkill, however, there is nothing bad for a Christian here: if your conscience is clear, then how will such a check hurt you? Another thing is that at this company, perhaps, the secrecy is so high that employees can be regularly subjected to such checks, and, perhaps, there is, in principle, not a very healthy atmosphere.
Sincerely, Priest Alexander Ilyashenko
I work for a tobacco company (cigarette advertising). I repent and want to find another job. Now I'm on maternity leave. When you leave the decree - new job it’s hard to search right away - no one wants to take with a small child. Is it possible to return to the old job (tobacco) - to work and look for a new job? Or do you need to urgently quit so as not to engage in a sinful business for a day? (here I just have a fear that I will look for a new job for a long time, that there will no longer be such a high salary, my old job has a free schedule - I can devote more time to the child ...) What do you think?
You need to try to find a job now, while on vacation, but if you can’t find it, you can go to your old job, with the indispensable intention to change it. Do not be embarrassed by possible problems. The Lord, seeing your desire to move away from the sinful deed, will give you the necessary welfare.
Sincerely, priest Mikhail Samokhin.
Number of entries: 113
Of course, if possible, give up what confuses you and other people. I hope your employers will understand you.
Deacon Elijah Kokin
Good afternoon. Tell me what is the right thing to do? We have been living in a civil marriage for almost 4 years (without painting). The husband says that he works, but there is no money. For three years there was only a small amount. We want to get married, I pay for everything. We want children, but I don’t know who will support us later. All questions about money and work stumble upon resentment and the fact that he himself understands everything, but he does not succeed. Works at home as a programmer, but I don't understand why there is no money. Although before me he had a stable income. I don't know how to be. There is only one answer to all questions: there will be money, but when, he does not know. Can you give me some advice on what to do next? Sorry for the confusion.
Olga
Olga, let's start with the fact that you are in a sinful and illegal cohabitation with a man. This sin must be repented of. In addition, the Gospel says: "Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven, and everything else will be added." Therefore, first of all, you need to take care of your soul, you need to fulfill the Commandments of God, and the Lord will give us everything for our life. You need to legitimize your relationship as soon as possible, repent of your sins in the church at confession with a priest. You need to pray to God for your needs. God cares about our little things: "ask and you will receive," says the Holy Scriptures. So you just have to live the church life.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
Good day! Tell me, please, which saint to pray to find good workers? Thank you in advance. Save me, God!
Kseniya
Xenia, personally, I have not met a special prayer for this case, but I offer you a general prayer for any request. Strive to lead the church life. Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven, and everything else will be added. Live like a Christian and pray for your workers as your heart tells you. Prayer to the Lord, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, God of all mercy and bounty, His mercy is immeasurable, and humanity is an unsearchable abyss: I fall down to Your Majesty, with fear and trembling, as if I were not worthy of thanksgiving to Your benevolence about Your good deeds on Your former servants, now humbly bringing, like the Lord, the Lord, and the Benefactor, we glorify, praise, sing and magnify, and falling down again we thank, Your immeasurable and inexpressible mercy humbly praying. Yes, as if now the prayers of Thy servants are accepted, and mercifully fulfilled thou art, and in the fore in Thy and sincere love. and in all the virtues of those who prosper, Thy good deeds of all Thy faithful. Receive, Thy holy church, and this city, (or this whole city), delivering from every evil situation, and granting peace and serenity to that, You with Your Father without beginning, and the Most Holy, and by your good and consubstantial Spirit, in one being to the glorious God, always bring thanksgiving, and deign to speak and sing. Glory to Thee, God, our Benefactor, forever and ever. Amen.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
Hello, hegumen Nikon (Golovko). I gave up TV during the Lent, but at work during the break we all have lunch together, and out of habit one of my colleagues turns on humorous programs on his iPad, and willy-nilly I watch, then I try to disconnect from what they are talking about, but everything anyway, I’ll listen, then I’ll look ... I don’t have another opportunity to dine somewhere! And asking to turn it off - they won’t understand me and won’t even agree, and I don’t have the right to force someone ... At other times I don’t watch TV. Is it a sin, does it need to be confessed? Before the start of confession, is it necessary to kiss the Bible and the Cross, or is it done after the priest absolves the sin? Or should it be done before and after? I used to do this after the remission of sins, but on the Annunciation I noticed that they still kiss the Bible and the Cross even before confession, teach me how to start confession correctly! And is it possible to distribute the reading of the canons and the rules for Communion over a three-day fast before confession, or is it necessary to read everything in the evening before the day of Communion? Thanks for the replies, I really appreciate it! Please answer my email! God bless you! Svetlana
Svetlana
Svetlana, I see that your conscience is embarrassed by this question, and this is a sign that in this situation you need to confess. As for other issues, it is customary to kiss the Cross and the Gospel after reading permissive prayer confessions, and the Rule for Communion can be read even more than in one day, if it is very difficult to do it the day before.
hegumen Nikon (Golovko)
Hello! I had to quit my job last year due to illness. I haven't been able to find a job since then, although I have 25 years of experience in baking. Age 49, not suitable for employers. I want to start my new business: open a shop selling souvenir gingerbread. How to get a blessing for a new business? What needs to be done? I am baptized.
Kseniya
Hello Xenia. You can take a blessing from the priest in the temple. Tell the priest about your desire and ask for a blessing. Help God.
Priest Sergiy Osipov
Good afternoon, father, I have a situation at work: I go to lunch, and women ask me to bring them lunch, sometimes I bring them, but I started to refuse, because they can go themselves, and I go to church for lunch, and if they carry lunch, then I will not be able to go to church, but they can go to dinner themselves.
Bogdan
Hello Bogdan. So continue to do so - sometimes wear. Helping others is a good thing, but if it is not to the detriment of oneself. There is no virtue without reason.
Priest Alexander Beloslyudov
Good afternoon! My name is Angelina and for a year now I have had a difficult period in my life - as soon as I find a job, I lose it almost immediately. I'm a teacher foreign languages. Either students suddenly cancel classes, or the group suddenly breaks up, and I need to live on something, there is no one to support me. I already understood myself from the point of view of psychology, as advised, but all in vain, work just runs away from me, although I work a lot. Everything has already been disturbed for me, and there is no sleep, and no appetite, I don’t understand what is happening, none of my relatives can understand. They say that you need to see some signs, but I do not see them. What should I do? After all, it is impossible to live without money! So not for long and say goodbye to this life, everything is only for the worse. I don't believe in the evil eye. Please help with advice. Thank you.
Angelina
Well, the sign here is simple and quite obvious: if the Lord does not bless something at the moment, it is destroyed by itself, and what it blesses, then somehow gets better by itself. Perhaps the Lord is pushing you to try something else: if you run into a wall, you need to move further along the wall, after some distance there should be a door. I also advise you to pray diligently to the holy martyr Tryphon, they usually resort to his prayerful help when looking for a job. Cheer up, God help you!
Deacon Elijah Kokin
Hello, father! Is it possible to read the morning or evening rule from an audio recording while sitting in a car (it turns out synchronously), for example, if there is no time, or you are late for something, and there is no way to read at home, or, it happens that it is more convenient in the car, and no one distracts. There are such situations several times a week when I go to and from work.
Gennady
Hello Gennady! Yes, but it shouldn't be permanent. Living prayer in front of the icon is preferable.
Priest Vladimir Shlykov
Hello, father! I'm 40 years old. I am a physicist by education, I work not by profession - an electronics engineer. I don’t like my job for a long time - I just earn a living. After school, I chose the wrong path. I really want to be a circus performer in the clownery genre (like Vyacheslav Polunin). To invent and stage numbers not just to squeeze laughter out of the viewer, but to evoke in him high noble feelings and experiences. No vulgarity or flat jokes. How can I know if my desire is in accordance with the will of God? Wouldn't it be a sin to pursue this profession? I really want to know the opinion/advice of the priest! Thanks a lot!
Dmitry
Hello Dimitri. I doubt very much that a clown whose goal is to "evoke high, noble feelings in the viewer" will be in demand in the modern circus and on the modern stage. But I am not an expert in this field of art, and my opinion is probably erroneous. To find out the will of God, you just need to, with sincere prayer, with the blessing of a confessor, if any, or any priest, begin to carry out your plan, trying not to sin against the commandments of the Gospel. If it is the will of God for this, then everything will work out for you.
Priest Alexander Beloslyudov
Hello, father! I want to ask about the pain. How can a pregnant woman work at a very nervous, stressful job, and even with a boss - an elderly woman who has assertiveness, uncompromisingness, great ambitions, etc.? I have one child, I really want a second child with my husband, but I'm just afraid for his and my health during the gestation period. HOW to talk to a person or how to pray, and what can be done in general so that the life that is born in the womb does not perceive all the negativity that you have to "breathe"? Thanks for reading my question. I really believe that I will get the right answer to it!
Anna
Hello Anna. I understand your concerns. Rely on the will of God. If it is not possible to change jobs in advance, then, if necessary, you will take a sick leave for bearing a child more often, go to church services more often, and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. During pregnancy, wear the "alive in the help of the Most High" belt. A month before going on maternity leave, take paid leave, as it should be for pregnant women - so week after week and take out the child. Help God.
Priest Sergiy Osipov
Fathers, such a question. I work in a women's team, there is a lot of gossip, condemnation, discussion right at the table during lunch, I don’t want to listen to it, I just cry inside, I don’t support the conversation, sometimes I try and stand up for the object of discussion, but there is no one in the team who would support me. And so, I would like to ask how to be in such a team, what to think about these people, how to behave? Pray for them and for yourself? And in general, what to answer a person when he starts talking bad about another person, how to answer so as not to offend? Save you Lord!
Julia
Julia, we must avoid any condemnation, gossip. Do not participate in a conversation in which someone is judged. Keep your mouth from useless words. Do not condemn or justify, and if possible, it is better to sit separately, and if this is not possible, then pray while eating. When you are drawn into such a conversation, say so: I don’t want to talk about this topic, I’m not interested.
Hieromonk Viktorin (Aseev)
Hello, my name is Anna, I am 17 years old. Now I am finishing the 11th grade, of course, the choice of occupation is ahead, and so on. I live with my parents and older sister. Relationships and atmosphere in the family have always been and are wonderful - I have never lacked love and attention. I am very grateful to my parents, and to my mother in particular, I feel great gratitude to her. I have been modeling for some time, and now a company from America is offering me a promising contract, therefore, I will have to go to America to work. I decided to postpone my university entrance until next year, and I don't want to miss the opportunity to build a career that is more interesting to me and to which I feel inclined. But mom is against it. From our conversations, the reason for my mother's disagreement is that she is afraid to let me go so far alone, and I'm still small, and my mother will be very worried about me. I understand my mother 100%, and I can definitely say that in her place I would have done the same. I am very sorry for her, and I am also very worried about what she is going through - for mom it is really hard and scary. But despite the above facts, I very stubbornly stand my ground, relying on the fact that I have my own life, and only I can build it. But at the same time, I feel selfish, since my mother’s position is based on care and fear for her child, she always lived for us (children), and put all the best into us, and my stubbornness seems to me just a spit in all this. What to do in this situation, I do not really understand, please advise something. Thank you.
Anna
Hello Anna. I think you need to rethink all the options for entering the university. Won't a year of work reduce your chances of getting in? I understand your mother's fears: by tradition, a prosperous girl from her parental home gets married, and does not leave to work without education. But the decision remains with you, so that you can’t reproach anyone later in case of failures. After all, you are already an adult. Help God.
Priest Sergiy Osipov
Good afternoon! Please help me figure it out - for the first time in my life I was going to keep great post, But could not. If I fast, I can’t work (work is connected with intellectual activity), that is, I sit like a somnambulist and slow down terribly, but at work I need to think and make decisions quickly. Here, I sit and despond now - how to be? I'm not looking for excuses - I know that many of them can be invented, only it all comes down to my spiritual weakness. I try to keep a spiritual fast, all my life I thought that I didn’t have such an addiction to food, but it turned out that it’s how it is! I don’t know how to confess this sin, after all, even after confession I will eat fast food during fasting. It turns out that I will aggravate my sins even more?
Alexei
Alexei, please do not lose heart and do not give up: the enemy has tempted you a little, and you, as I understand it, are ready to abandon your post. Nothing, not immediately, but gradually everything will work out. Train yourself little by little - eat so that you are in shape at work, and at home you can starve, and you will succeed!
hegumen Nikon (Golovko)
Hello, please tell me, is it a sin to be a military man in peacetime (not to observe fasts, not to observe Sundays and holidays, numerous experiences, despondency, etc.) and tell me how to live righteously in this case? Thanks in advance.
Vadim
Vadim, now, in our days, it is generally difficult to live righteously, and even more so if your life is subject to some rules, which, in fact, are inherited from the godless Soviet era. In the army of times Russian Empire it was not so, the soldiers fasted, however, not the whole post, but the first, third and last weeks. Try to do the same for you, and God bless you for your diligence!
hegumen Nikon (Golovko)
Hello! My name is Konstantin, I am 26 years old. What do i do? Once I had a fight with a friend, it turned out like this. I had problems with work, because of this I was in a general bad condition, on the street (we were talking in the same company then), he tried to make fun in every possible way, trying to hook, laugh. Moreover, our whole company picked it up, they still didn’t like that I used to smoke, and at that time I tried to quit and I didn’t really want to drink beer every Friday and Saturday. But at the age of 20, it seemed to me that I would look more mature, because of this I simply did not communicate with them. I thought my friends would understand, but they behaved like children (only adults). After more than 2 years, I again began to communicate with this person, then he told me about the Vkontakte social network and helped me register there. Knowing my password and login (at that time I didn’t have a good computer yet), he began to use my data, humiliating me, insulting me in every possible way (uploading videos of a homosexual nature and much more in this spirit). I wanted to find it and just "smear" it on the wall, but my mom stopped me, didn't let me do it. We studied at the same school and class, I helped him as much as I could, and he ... He used my data, insulted and humiliated mutual acquaintances, friends, classmates. Because of this, I could not leave for a long time (I met these people, and they thought that I was writing to them, but in fact I was not on this page, and there is still laughter in my direction, but I I didn’t have that page) on the street, I even left the institute for 4 years, I was very hurt and insulted, even there was despondency and I didn’t want to do anything, but they themselves rested, enjoyed life. Thanks in advance.
Konstantin
If a friend suddenly turned out to be ... It means that he was not a real friend. Every person, sooner or later, has to endure betrayal by a person you trust. You know, it needs to be a little easier. Once someone hacked my page on the social network and on my behalf sent my friends a link to a porn site, and as you understand, among the "friends" on the social network there may be unfamiliar people. Well, what can you do? I changed my password and sent out an apology to everyone, explaining what had happened. I think everyone understood. During life, some of the friends disappear, new ones appear, and this is quite normal. So I wish you new good friends who will not assert themselves at your expense, but will support you.
Deacon Elijah Kokin
Hello, dear father! My husband and I are planning to open a small grocery store, and in my opinion, selling liquor is a sin. acquaintances say that, according to the priest on the church channel, the sale of alcoholic beverages is not a sin, it is a sin to consume them. Please resolve our doubts. Thanks a lot in advance!
At first glance, yes. In Paradise, Adam and Eve work, although this is a special work that is not associated with negative experiences. “And the Lord God took the man whom he had made, and put him into the garden of Eden, to cultivate and keep it” (Genesis 2:15). After the fall, labor becomes something like an educational tool: work hard and, as they say, feel the difference...Now nothing is given to a person as a gift. Everything that supplies the body with nourishment, warmth and comfort is obtained by strenuous effort. With the passage of time, a culture of labor, the poetics of labor, is born. From a curse and a heavy burden, labor acquires a positive value, because a person owes his survival to it.
They point to the psychological and ethical value of labor - "labor ennobles." In conditions when a person does not need to work, apathy and laziness soon drag him down. An example of an ethical paradox is "industriousness". It’s not easy to work well, it’s good and right to love work. Here it is, the image of man as a moral being who finds satisfaction in the very drama of life, in self-overcoming.
In the philosophy of the Stoics and in Christian ascetic practices, labor is a spiritual means. Together with prayer, he purifies the soul and elevates to the truth, to God. “Love labor,” St. Anthony the Great taught, “he, in conjunction with fasting, prayer and vigil, will free you from all defilements. Bodily labor brings purity to the heart; purity of heart causes the soul to bear fruit.”
We find a completely different image in modern times: labor as a way for a person to prove self-sufficiency. Corruption penetrates the concept of labor, labor pathos develops into pathos of asserting one's “I”, subordinating the forces of nature. In the Protestant morality of prosperity, peoples work in the interests of the bourgeoisie; Marxist theory puts enormous human effort into building an ideological colossus. Is it good for a Christian in these circumstances to work hard? The results of the work are alienated, fall into the treasury of a property that is by no means pleasing. The prototype of this was already in history: the construction of the Tower of Babel.
Is it right to work hard today, at a time when we are no longer inventing perpetuum mobile and building Korchagin's bright tomorrow? Work is the new "our everything", the principle of the simplest and most convenient organization in time and space. Convenient, but for whom and why?
Every day, for a long time in my yard, my grandmother walked with her granddaughter. The baby was still quite small. My mother, a young lady I knew, rarely appeared. “It works, the load is big,” Grandma explained, and, as it were, sighed sympathetically. This was followed by lamentations about the high cost of living, stories about good location an accountant in the firm and her daughter's abilities, because of which her superiors appreciate her.
Over time, while the baby got up and learned to pronounce phrases, plastic sparkled in the windows of the apartment, and movers took out the kitchen set and household appliances from the furniture van and lifted them upstairs. Grandma has changed. On walks, she looked like an expert, spoke decorously and through her nose, as if involuntarily condescending to her colleagues in the walking shop.
“I can’t see you for some reason,” I once threw to an accountant running past, “your lovely daughter is growing up.
“Yes,” she answered, “there is a lot of work, I sit in the evenings.
– What are you doing? Are you building communism? I teased.
- No, - she laughed, not penetrating the irony, however, - Now the annual report, and before that, the tax. Basically, my head is spinning...
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The latter - the opportunity to spend time at home - was an argument and very weighty. Just think, these days it can be terrifying: half the time in the house! Communication with children, lessons, household chores, cleaning, cooking, dishes... The main advantage of working is that you don't have to think about anything else. I'm at work and that's it! I do what everyone else does.
Why do you think it is so difficult for us to have children? Why then all the problems with the school? And why, even in frosty January, old skis remain pushed to the depth of the mezzanines? And why does parish life come to a standstill with Sunday leave? Correctly. This is because all the things mentioned are extremely harmful and contraindicated:
a) for work
b) to rest after it.
I'm not going to downplay the value of social labor and draw pastorals. The impulse of a scientist and designer is wonderful, the services of a doctor and teacher are full of nobility. The author of these lines himself probably would not have done much without professional passion, so that a candle in a lonely window sometimes does not go out until morning. However, "work" as a phenomenon of social consciousness, as a sociological marker, is something special. Predominant self-identification by gender, profession and official position has been repeatedly noted by sociologists. "Work" is the center and the brace; a place through which, as through a symbolic umbilical cord, modern man attaches himself to life, perceives reality, and exchanges energies with it. "Work" crowds home, relatives and friends from among life priorities. From "work" as a basic category, modern man calculates the proportions of life; without attributing himself to a specific vacancy-position, he feels himself amazed, disoriented, standing, as it were, outside the existing world order.
In practice, the shift in emphasis looks like a family from the provinces, in search of work, is ready to leave for the capital, to a prospect full of risks, but does not solve the issue of employment in their small homeland in one way or another, relying on a settled place and established connections. Examples are not uncommon when in families that do not experience financial difficulties, a woman goes to work, justifying this for one reason or another. Although the real reason is simple: Don't know what to do without a job... At home, on their territory, our contemporary is unable to turn around his soul properly, to feel himself in the role of a responsible person, creator and owner. You can’t put a home role on a par with a service one. Who am I in the house? A cook and a scrubber? Nailer and plumber? And there I am the head of the department! Comparisons, as they say, are unnecessary ...
What is the danger of such a situation, and why cannot one be satisfied with the way in which questions of earnings and employment are being resolved at the present moment?
First the unacceptable is, of course, "self-identification through work." It is sad to see when the worldly table of ranks is transferred to church reality. Willy-nilly, we get used to the fact that a person who comes to the temple in an expensive car is considered more prosperous and successful than many. Willy-nilly, in the company of our brethren, we omit talk of faith and prefer worldly topics in which work and acquisitions play a major role.
Second, which should be alarming, concerns the role of "work" as a universal substitute for other types of activity - church, spiritual and ascetic, cognitive activity (only interested in what relates to special professional types of knowledge), pedagogical (there is no desire to engage in education and generally devote time to children ), house-building, social, artisan, helping (I don’t want to master skills, take part in types of activities and assignments outside the working “functional”). It is rare when a person thinks about service and the work of life. Feeling a taste for a career, the Orthodox, alas, stopped looking for special ways, and began to simply “go to work”, content with a general feeling of employment and material opportunities.
It would be strange for the Church to object to the desire for greater well-being. In each example, you will be tormented to explain: what is harmful to the soul is the replacement of worn-out Zhiguli with a brand new foreign car. Perhaps, there is nothing reprehensible in changing the Zhiguli when we have a clear idea of Christian life, and life in the family, the church community is full, deployed in a variety of activities and relationships. There are no two opinions about what is considered the main thing, and what is auxiliary, secondary. But as the Christian lifestyle is blurred and the pressures of the world mount, the pursuit of earning and acquiring means secularization and a regression to a mass mentality.
Will we be able to get out of the vicious circle of earnings-consumption, to give the word "labor" a non-economic meaning? Will the Orthodox community be able to defend its own vision of life, to keep a non-general facial expression? The fruitless Sisyphean labor, according to the general stereotype, for the sake of status, entertainment or quenching the approaching consumer stress is unlikely to meet Christian principles. It is good for a Christian to work hard, but let this work be varied. After all, it is necessary to work not only at the workplace, but also in the family, at the parish, in friendly relations. Yes, and work on yourself is also a lot of work.
Reader question:
Good afternoon! I work in a team and can't find mutual language with people. I'm already thinking that maybe I'm doing something wrong myself. The new manager accused me of taking a sick leave with a child on purpose and shirking work. I try to do what I think is right and fair. Of course, Small child sick and I need to take care of him. I tried to explain the situation, but received a bunch of accusations in response. Now he doesn't greet me.
If I don’t like something and have questions, I try to say it and solve everything. Of course, without swearing, but for some reason my point of view is not always accepted positively, and this brings alienation, although I try not to offend anyone. And the worst thing is that I absolutely do not want to improve relations with the team where I work. It seems to me that these people are alien to me. How can I be? Although I try to calm myself down, I worry in my heart that people have a bad opinion of me.
Archpriest Andrey Efanov answers:
Dear reader, your situation is one of those that cannot be solved over the Internet, here you need to come and personally talk with the priest and with the psychologist, because just a letter is not enough, it is required serious conversation and serious work. Not in the sense that you are worse than someone, but in the sense that, since you feel bad and uncomfortable, it means that you need to change something in yourself or in relation to what is happening. And it is better to do it under the guidance of a priest and a psychologist. I would now draw attention to the fact that you care too much about the opinions of others. No need. Understand why it is so important for you, what do you expect from the team, in addition to effective professional interaction, and why do you expect this in the team, although, in principle, this should be sought in the family, relatives, friends, and so on.
So come to the temple and see a specialist, it should help a lot.
As a recommendation, I can advise you to seek help from the Center for Crisis Psychology at the Church of the Resurrection of Christ on Semenovskaya (Moscow), it is located next to the Semenovskaya metro station. Highly professional Orthodox psychologists serve here, who have already helped thousands of people.
Assistance is provided to adults and children, members of any religious denominations, unbelievers, doubters and atheists.
If you have a difficult financial situation, then this should by no means stop you from receiving psychological assistance at the Center. Donations to the center are determined only by your ability and gratitude. The provision of assistance at the Center is in no way related to the amount of the donation (or its total absence) .
When I find out that my friends got a new job / got a promotion, I feel envy ... I sincerely rejoice for them, for their success, I wish them well, but at the same time I feel regret, the insignificance of my existence compared to them , lowering your self-esteem ... And I think, maybe my current place of work is my calling, that this is the Will of God and you should not even look for something. Is this false humility or an excuse for your laziness? I don’t really like my work, the only pluses are that they provide housing, there is a temple nearby, which I often go to. Tell me how to be, please... Sincerely, Anna
Anna, envy is a sin that you need to repent of. But it is also not worth seeing in your circumstances only the Will of God, and not the result of your own actions. The will of God is providentially hidden from us. And since we do not know it, nothing fetters our freedom. Including looking for a job. At the same time, all hope in this search must be placed in the Lord. Pray St. Spyridon of Trimifuntsky and through his prayers and your faith, the Lord will give you the requested work.
I have a desire to open a store that will sell films and music, but I doubt if I would be doing it wrong. In the assortment offered to us there are many horror and other films containing unpleasant scenes (even the most harmless films). I suppose plots or fragments of songs can push buyers (even non-believers) into bad thoughts or convince a doubter to commit one or another bad action. What is the attitude Orthodox Church in this matter?
Hello Oleg! The field of activity you have chosen is indeed extremely difficult to be compatible with Orthodoxy. By selling films containing obscenity, violence, foul language, you will become an accomplice in the seduction of many people. At the same time, the modern reality is such that by excluding all this from the assortment, you doom your undertaking to a commercial failure. Therefore, in order not to sin and not go broke, invest your money in something less risky. For example, in the sale of audio and video equipment or radio components.
Sincerely, priest Mikhail Samokhin.
Hello. My question is: I work in a private hospital. Our owner, also a doctor, is a very hot-tempered person and does not respect his employees. Recently, he called the whole team and terribly yelled at us doctors and humiliated us in front of everyone (he often does this), then he called us to his place again, shouted, threw the medical history on the floor and drove everyone out of the office. We silently left, picking up the document from the floor. At heart, as always, it was hard for everyone. Tell me, please, what is the right way, in a Christian way, to behave in such situations? I silently prayed that God would forgive him, but I'm afraid it didn't turn out quite sincerely. Sincerely, Irina. Sorry for the embarrassing details.
It is very difficult to communicate with such unbalanced people, especially bosses, so there is no specific recipe or method here. If a sincere prayer for this person does not work out, pray anyway with the desire to forgive him, according to the commandment of Christ: "pray for those who offend you and persecute you" (Matt. 5, 44). During such scenes, it is also good to call on the name of Christ to yourself, reading, for example. Jesus Prayer. There is another recommendation of Christ: “If your brother sins against you, go and rebuke him between you and him alone; if he listens, then you have gained your brother” (Matt. 18:15), but this applies primarily to fellow believers, members of the church community. In any case, you can, if you have inner boldness, do this with your boss, at least in private. Although this is not always effective, besides, one must be ready sometimes and suffer for such a denunciation...
God help you!
Sincerely, Priest Philip Parfenov
Hello, father. I have this question. Recently I had a very difficult relationship with an employee at work (it all started with the fact that I was promoted) before that I had a very good relationship. For my part, I was looking for ways of reconciliation, but nothing worked out, and I had very little strength left to endure. I don't feel any guilt. Health, work can suffer from internal stress, can I bring this issue to the management? Or should I leave? Please tell me.
Hello Olga!
I sympathize with you, the situation you are in is really difficult. It seems to me that you need to pray for an employee who offends you (perhaps she herself was expecting a promotion and therefore it is so difficult for her to endure your appointment), be polite and, if possible, friendly when communicating with her. If possible, communicate with her only on business matters. Whether it is worth bringing the issue to the management to determine better for you, it depends on many factors. Go to the temple, talk to the priest. It's easier to give more specific advice in person than over the Internet. Help you Lord!
Sincerely,
Hello, I would like to ask if it is bad that I am very attached to my computer, i.e. my work and studies are directly related to working on a computer, and when it was being repaired, I couldn’t find a place for myself. How to get rid of this habit?
Christ is Risen! Hello Julia!
Remember the words of the apostle Paul: "Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is useful; everything is permitted to me, but nothing should control me." This can be applied to the computer as well. Of course, it is necessary for work, but if the absence of a computer causes irritation, a person "does not find a place for himself" - that this may already be a sign of some kind of dependence. Try to devote more time to communicating with people, reading, walking, playing sports - so that work with a computer is reduced to the necessary minimum.
Hello! At work, you often have to hear swear words, curses. How to protect yourself from this? After all, you won’t leave your workplace ... God bless you!
Hello Xenia!
Yes, unfortunately, profanity is very common now. What should you do if someone swears in front of you? If the situation permits, make a tactful (and possibly joking) remark to your colleagues. If not, then pray, read the Jesus Prayer to yourself, or, for example, "Virgin Mother of God, rejoice." So you will avoid the condemnation of those who speak foul language, and you will not listen to him too much, focusing on prayer.
Sincerely, Priest Alexander Ilyashenko
Please tell me, is it a sin to get a job through an acquaintance? And if I feel that in another type of activity I would be more in demand, is it better to change jobs or accept and work in my specialty? Thank you.
Hello, Elena!
Sincerely,
priest Alexander Ilyashenko
Hello! Per recent months experienced injustice at work. First, I was demoted due to a change in the staffing table and I lost my salary. The volume of work has not decreased. Then I had to finish the work of a colleague who, due to his negligence, did not complete the documents on time and people did not receive the money they earned. In addition, the boss, without understanding, blamed me for this oversight. And to top it all, all colleagues were thanked, but I alone was not. I did the work, but then I felt bad (headache, heart naughty) and all the time I want to cry. Going to work is disgusting. Obviously, my resentment is so strong. I pray the Lord to give me humility and patience. But still inside the com. I am trying to set myself up so that, thank God, there is work in general, but it is difficult. And it's all wrapped up in a post. I understand that this is a test of pride for me, because I have already begun to consider myself very competent and irreplaceable. What is the right way to pray in this situation? How to set yourself up correctly if you see the obvious injustice and incompetence of the boss, not only in relation to yourself? Thank you very much if you answer. Sincerely. Olga.
Hello Olga!
From the bottom of my heart I sympathize with you, indeed, it is very difficult to endure an unfair attitude towards yourself. No matter how unfairly they treat us, we cannot be offended, resentment is already our sin. There is an article on our website about how to overcome grievances, read it: http://www.pravmir.ru/article_1357.html
You need to pray for the boss, and for the Lord to give you the strength to forgive and repent of your offense. As for the injustice and incompetence of the boss, it all depends on the specific situation. In any case, it is necessary to pray for the boss and colleagues, and try to do this sincerely. It is best to talk about your behavior in a given situation in a personal conversation with a confessor (the priest to whom you confess).
Help you Lord!
Sincerely, Priest Alexander Ilyashenko
Hello dear father. I am 16 years old, I graduated from an Orthodox school, now I sing in the kliros. My parents sent me to a medical school, they want me to become a doctor. And I am in doubt. Can an Orthodox person be a doctor in the modern world? If so, what specialty should I choose? Maria
Hello dear Maria!
Of course, an Orthodox person can be a doctor. Both the Apostle Luke and St. Luke Voyno-Yasenetsky, from whose textbook Essays on Purulent Surgery, doctors are still studying, were doctors. There is no need to hurry with the choice of a specialty - as far as I know, specialization in medical institutes begins only in the last courses. You need to understand what you have a greater disposition for, what is more interesting for you to do. My wife and one of my sons are pediatricians, and we have a cardiologist, an endocrinologist and other doctors in our parish. Help you Lord!
Sincerely, Priest Alexander Ilyashenko
How to overcome the hostility that constantly arises towards a person, and even to the boss at work? Thank you in advance.
Hello dear Elena!
First, you need to understand that hostility towards a person is a sin. It seems to me that you understand this, since you have the desire to overcome this sin. Secondly, to overcome hostility, like any sin, it is necessary to make great spiritual efforts. It is necessary to fervently repent of hostility at confession, to ask the Lord for strength to overcome this sin. I advise you to read the conversation about forgiveness of offenses, which was published on our website: http://www.pravmir.ru/article_1356.html
Help you Lord!
Priest Alexander Ilyashenko
Christ is Risen! How should an Orthodox girl dress if she decides to work in an office or a company? After all, now it is very important, even when applying for a job, they look at how you look. And I go in a headscarf, a long skirt, I don’t put on make-up, I look inconspicuous. And suddenly I was offered a job as a secretary. And I come to the interview in a headscarf ... I can't walk without a headscarf or some kind of headdress. But then it turns out that some jobs are closed to people like me. Indeed, a handkerchief is better suited for cleaners and dishwashers, and not for business women. Why wear a hat to work then? Just a handkerchief with a business suit somehow, it seems to me, does not look very good.
Christ is Risen! Hello Juliana!
There is a completely wrong opinion about how an Orthodox girl should dress. For some reason, it is believed that she should wear shapeless sweaters and sweaters (preferably dark colors), a long skirt to the ground, and always a scarf on her head. This is completely wrong. You need to dress cleanly, neatly, with taste. Clothes should not look catchy and defiant, but they can and should fit well and be beautiful. A business suit is also suitable for an Orthodox girl, as long as the skirt is not too short (at least below the knee). Such a suit, I think, can be found in a store, or, in extreme cases, sewn. As for the headscarf, according to the words of the Apostle Paul, a wife (that is, a married woman) should cover her head during prayer. This does not mean that an Orthodox girl should wear a headscarf all the time. You need to cover your head in the temple, and not at work.
http://www.pravmir.ru/article_1464.html
http://www.pravmir.ru/article_1406.html
Sincerely,
Priest Alexander Ilyashenko
Good afternoon. I have rather an everyday question, but it has been tormenting me for a long time. I don't like my job. I work as a chief accountant and sometimes the thought just slips through: was it really born in order to shift pieces of paper all day, collect mountains of waste paper and create nothing in this world. I look around - and behind me is a forest of spoiled trees, translated into paper. You can change, leave, retrain (at the very 2 higher education, the second - legal). Can. But, firstly, the fear of losing income (I want to give birth and raise children in favorable conditions), having gone to another business, I will have to start everything from scratch, and secondly, am I running away from the business that is destined for me? Maybe, doing a thankless (just for me) work, I should understand and comprehend something? I go to church, I go to confession, but I don’t dare to ask the priest - I don’t have my own confessor, and my question seems too “worldly”. Thanks for listening.
Elena!
God gives each of us talents and opportunities for their realization, but we often lack integrity to go our own way without scattering thoughts and deeds - hence doubts and regrets. To doubt is natural for a person, it is unnatural to rush about after one's doubts.
Sincerely
Priest Alexy Kolosov
http://www.pravmir.ru/article_2041.html