Productivity in 2009
As I reflected on some New Year's resolutions, the term "production ethic" came to mind. It's from a column I read this fall by Fr. Pat Dolan of Most Precious Blood Parish in Denver. I think it makes for good reflection this time of year, so I wanted to share it. Happy New Year.
by Fr. Pat Dolan...
It is a weighty moment in the synoptic gospels (Mark, Matthew and Luke) when Jesus asks, "Who do
"Work Ethic" is a phrase with which most of us are familiar. We can use the idiom to express something as prosaic as whether or not someone is a good employee. Will they "get the job done, show up regularly and stay focused on the tasks given?" If the answer is "yes" then they have a
good work ethic. Of course, this says little about whether or not we are ethical workers. There's more to ethics than work.I find our
production ethic much more interesting. A deeper sense than a work ethic, this idea asks us what we hope to produce with the energies, assets and time we've been given on this earth. As long as one follows orders without question (or even thought) one has a good work ethic in our country, but a production ethic takes personal engagement and reflection. It demands that we be aware of our impact on those around us, our community or even our world. It doesn't ask for mere consistency of work, but purpose. A work ethic asks, "How well do I do my job?" A production ethic asks, "What am I accomplishing with my life?"It's possible that many exercise their work and production ethics separately. Maybe I "move money around" for a living. I'm good at it and I have a
good work ethic when it comes to my job, but I know I'm not accomplishing anything but the amassing of wealth. Then, if I use this wealth to raise a family, give to charity, support benevolent groups that work to transform our world, I develop my production ethic.Many people have jobs they feel truly make the world a better place, therefore combining their work ethic with at least part of their production ethic, but even most of these find at least some of what they hope to accomplish in life falls outside the workplace. The trick for the Christian journey is to be able to articulate our production ethic as readily as we might our work ethic. Our work ethic should always serve our production ethic.
Jesus was one of those rare people who lived his work ethic in full submission to his production ethic. We definitely see glimpses of his work ethic: He works through grief (Mt 14
12-14), when hungry and tired (Mark 631-34) and he continues when troubled by what is to come (Mt 2639). But his work is absolutely one with what he hopes to accomplish in the world. His efforts always serve his ultimate goal.Whatever our jobs are in the world, we should take the time daily to remind ourselves (or begin to discover for ourselves) what we really hope to achieve throughout life. We must fight against the lack of focus that leads us to confuse our work ethic with our production ethic. We should look at our families, our friends and the greater community and begin to decide what we hope our contribution will be.
As Christians we can join Peter in his response to Jesus' question and say, "You are the Messiah." But are we ready to answer if Jesus asks us, "Who will people say that
you were?" We can't approach this question until we can begin to answer daily, "Who do I say that I am?" The answer to this question can enunciate for us what we should hope to produce in the world, and only when we know this can we begin to develop a true production ethic.
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