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INTENTION : |
That everyone may have work in safe and secure condition.
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One day about a year ago a friend asked me what time I went to work each day. I hesitated in answering, because I had to recall what my "work" was - simply because I didn't view the activity I did each day so much as "work" but more as what I "did." The word "work" gave a negative overtone to my activity as pastor of a parish and director of Catholic campus ministry at a state university.
I guess work gets its bad image from the story of the banishment of Adam and Eve from the garden, and that they had to toil as a result of the fall. Does that mean that prior to the fall they didn't have to harvest food from trees? That they didn't have to prepare the meat prior to cooking it? That they didn't have to care for cleanliness, or "take out the garbage"? Of course they did ... I am not sure what they called it before the fall but afterwards it has that awful name "work." What's the difference? Why does work have that overtone of burden? A necessary evil?
Perhaps the difference is the change in our viewpoint. If we are more aware of what we do not have, then work becomes the unfortunate necessity to eliminate that want - a want that will never be fully satisfied. We become work-weary striving to achieve things, because of our sense of our lack. That bite of the apple shifts our eyes from real appreciation and joy in what we have to what isn't, and perhaps dulls our appreciation of what we do have. In fact, Genesis begins with God working for six days - and resting on the seventh enjoying what He had done. His "work" was not a burden, but rather an enjoyment of creating something new, enjoyment from giving of Himself. Work is not bad, rather made in the image and likeness of God, we can cooperate in God's creative work.
Certainly we all have needs, some more than others. It would be na?ve to deny that. Some periods of our lives are more burdensome than others, demanding more effort and energy from us, and at times perhaps asking more than we think we can do. In such times work can seem negative, a burden as we are overwhelmed by what we need. And even in "good times" our culture points out subtly what we don't have. Each ad in a newspaper or on television plays on the presumption that you do not have something and what they offer is something you need. (Have you ever seen an ad simply complimenting on what you are or have?)
Let us ask the Lord to teach us to grow our ability to be more appreciative of what we have: our life, our talents, people important to us, and riches that are only important to ourselves. Then from that knowledge we can continue with God in the ongoing process of creation, or better "re-creation" for the benefit of all.
We pray this month with the Holy Father that everyone may have work, and that they may live in with joy, in safe and secure conditions.
Thomas McClain, SJ
General Treasurer of the Society of Jesus
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