What is Human Work?
Let's step back today and consider the question: "What is human work?" Yes, we're getting into some philosophy and theology here and it's important that we do. Here's why:
As we work our way through the themes in Working Your Way Into Heaven, you'll find the great Cardinal will help you gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of the importance of work, specifically, a he puts it,
You can probably think of many other forms of work, paid and unpaid. Thinking about it in this widest possible sense, it becomes clear that many of us work a good deal of the time. And while there's such a thing as working too much, let's not forget that old saying, "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." (Perhaps you've had direct experience with this. I know I have.) Yes, we need a respite from our labors. Nothing wrong with a little R&R - rest and recreation. But that doesn't mean we grab a six-pack or a quart of scotch when we get home from the job and sit in front of our digital screens for endless hours. (At least I hope it doesn't!)
When we pick up next time, we'll look at how God works. That's right. God works. And gaining an understanding of just what that means will elevate our perspective on our own work. We'll see how we actually participate in God's work when we work. In a certain sense, He's our real boss. While most of know the Our Lord worked during his so-called "hidden" life in Nazareth as the son of Mary and foster son of Joseph, we normally don't think of the Father's work. Maybe it's because we take His creation for granted. But think about it: God created the universe - everything, including us. Talk about work!
Compared to such work, mine does seem a bit more modest now. Nevertheless, it's there waiting for me to apply mind and body to the best of my ability. So, for now, it's off to work I go!
- We spend most of our waking hours working.
- Our work can and should serve both a practical and, more importantly, a spiritual end.
- Work has both a personal and a social role: It benefits not only each of us as individuals, but also society as a whole.
As we work our way through the themes in Working Your Way Into Heaven, you'll find the great Cardinal will help you gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of the importance of work, specifically, a he puts it,
...its essence, character, meaning, and aims.And let's remember that when we talk about work, we include more than just the "job" we have that pays us a salary. For many of us, work doesn't start and stop there. What about the work many of us perform at home. How about helping our children doing their homework? There's the work of stay-at-home Moms (and Dads), the work some of us do pursuing an avocation (for example, playing a musical instrument, writing the great American novel or -ahem - posting on a blog. And let's not forget the work of cloistered monks and nuns. Nobody "pays" these folks. The Vatican doesn't send them three squares a day or maintain their monasteries. In addition to their daily regimen of prayer and spiritual works, these folks work.
You can probably think of many other forms of work, paid and unpaid. Thinking about it in this widest possible sense, it becomes clear that many of us work a good deal of the time. And while there's such a thing as working too much, let's not forget that old saying, "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." (Perhaps you've had direct experience with this. I know I have.) Yes, we need a respite from our labors. Nothing wrong with a little R&R - rest and recreation. But that doesn't mean we grab a six-pack or a quart of scotch when we get home from the job and sit in front of our digital screens for endless hours. (At least I hope it doesn't!)
When we pick up next time, we'll look at how God works. That's right. God works. And gaining an understanding of just what that means will elevate our perspective on our own work. We'll see how we actually participate in God's work when we work. In a certain sense, He's our real boss. While most of know the Our Lord worked during his so-called "hidden" life in Nazareth as the son of Mary and foster son of Joseph, we normally don't think of the Father's work. Maybe it's because we take His creation for granted. But think about it: God created the universe - everything, including us. Talk about work!
Compared to such work, mine does seem a bit more modest now. Nevertheless, it's there waiting for me to apply mind and body to the best of my ability. So, for now, it's off to work I go!
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