Placing Our Work Back on the Altar
A Liturgical Way to Practice Detachment Without Losing Excellence
“When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord… and Simeon said to Mary his mother, ‘…and you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.’”
— Luke 2:22, 35
Introduction: Offering & Detachment in the Life of a Catholic Entrepreneur
In the life of a Catholic woman in business, work can quietly move from offering to ownership. We plan, build, protect, and strive — often carrying the subtle fear that if we loosen our grip, everything might fall apart. Yet the prayer theme of offering and detachment calls us back to a deeper truth: our work is not meant to replace trust in God but to be placed before Him. Detachment does not mean apathy or lack of excellence; it means remembering that our businesses, careers, and reputations are gifts entrusted to us and not possessions that define or secure us. In a world that rewards control, this posture of obedient offering is both countercultural and freeing.
Marian Inspiration: Our Lady of the Presentation (February 2)
This month, we turn our gaze to Blessed Virgin Mary under her title Our Lady of the Presentation, commemorated on February 2. In the Temple, Mary offers back to God the very Son she was given without bargaining, clinging, or delay. This was no symbolic gesture. Simeon’s prophecy makes clear that true offering is costly: “and you yourself a sword will pierce.” (Luke 2:35) Mary teaches us that obedience is not passive resignation but an active, trusting surrender. Inspired by her example, we are invited this month to place our work back on the altar, to release possessiveness, reclaim obedience, and rediscover the peace that comes from trusting God more than our own grasp.
What We Love Must Be Offered
What we love most is often what we cling to hardest. As entrepreneurs, our projects can become extensions of our identity and proof of our worth, competence, or calling. Yet love that is not offered becomes attachment, and attachment eventually becomes anxiety. Mary shows us that love remains pure only when it is returned to God.
Action: Identify one project you’ve over-identified with.
CWIB Deep Dive: Our Opportunity Not to Fit the Mold
Obedience Frees Love
Obedience is not about shrinking yourself; it is about aligning your desires with God’s timing and truth. Unrealistic expectations — of perfection, constant productivity, or endless availability — can quietly enslave us. Mary’s obedience was grounded in trust, not self-pressure. When we release false expectations, love becomes lighter and freer.
Action: Release one unrealistic expectation of yourself.
CWIB Deep Dive: Come Away and Rest in Christ
God Receives What We Surrender
Surrender is not inactivity; it is intentional placement. When we pray over our calendars, we acknowledge that time itself belongs to God. Mary did not rush the Presentation nor delay it. She followed the rhythm of obedience. Our schedules, too, can become spaces of grace when consciously offered.
Action: Pray over your calendar once this week.
CWIB Deep Dive: Counteracting the demands of productivity by seeing the gift of time
Letting Go Creates Space
Detachment is not loss; it is room-making. Space allows God to act, relationships to breathe, and creativity to return. Mary’s “yes” created space for salvation itself. When we remove what is nonessential, we make room for what is truly life-giving.
Action: Remove one nonessential commitment.
CWIB Deep Dive: Four ways to practice detachment in the workplace
Practical Reflection Box: 3 Ways to Place Your Work Back on the Altar
1. Begin each workday with a deliberate offering.
Before opening your laptop or checking messages, pause and name your work before God. Simply say: “Lord, I offer You today’s meetings, decisions, clients, and outcomes. Let this work serve Your purposes, not my ego.” This small act re-centers your identity as a steward, not an owner.
2. Practice weekly detachment through conscious surrender.
Choose one outcome each week — revenue targets, approvals, timelines, or recognition — and intentionally release your grip on it in prayer. Write it down and place it in your Bible or prayer journal as a sign of trust, asking God for the grace to obey even if the result differs from your plan.
3. Place your work on the altar at Mass.
During the Offertory, consciously unite your projects, clients, staff, and uncertainties with the bread and wine. Imagine your work being lifted, blessed, broken, and returned — purified of anxiety and possessiveness, and reordered toward love and service.
Detachment does not diminish your ambition; it sanctifies it. When your work rests on the altar, it no longer has the power to enslave you.
Closing Prayer
Mary, help me offer without fear.
Dr. Glory Enyinnaya is a management consultant who worked at Accenture before founding Kleos Advisory. She is a member of the faculty of Pan-Atlantic University in Nigeria. She blogs at www.gloryenyinnaya.com.