Looking at Work From God's Point of View - Part 5
Continuing our discussion from last time, we begin with exactly why it's important to develop those areas of the world which Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski, in Working Your Way into Heaven, has characterized as "wild":
While we may not be conscious of this ultimate reason for our work every minute of every day, it is, however, important for us to grasp this and in some way incorporate our understanding into our daily work. Given the plethora of jobs, businesses, and professions out there, it's hard to be specific here regarding how each of us, in our own work, can do this. However, Cardinal Wyszynski does provide some guidance here:
The world should rejoice in this. If properly understood, those who love God and neighbor ultimately make the world what it was designed to be - a place to enhance our journey towards eternal happiness with God in Heaven. And the most perfect understanding of this will be found in the teachings of the Catholic Church. Ideally, the perfect expression of this understanding will be found among Catholics - you and me. We're the boots on the ground that consciously and conscientiously carry out God's plan for His Creation in our work each day.
As we head off to work today, let's make the effort to acknowledge and embrace our calling to further the development of civilization and culture. With each tool we use or piece of paper process, with each key stroke on our computers, we can and should capture the spirit of that will to work; it should communicate our intention to civilize a world filled with good and faithful servants, true children of God. If we approach our work this way each and every day, we will see our work from God's point of view.
Next time, we'll continue exploring our theme and see how, in our daily work, we: add new values and possibilities to creation; not only sense what God intends in His work of creation, but harmonize the rhythm of our work with God's.
For today, as St. Ignatius urges us, work "Ad maiorem Dei gloriam."
The Creator gets back the glory due to Him from the earth, when it is civilized and filled with good and faithful servants - His children.His words make it clear that civilizing the world and filling it with God's children should be the ultimate objective of our work. And why is that?
"Increase and multiply and fill the earth." There will be more workers for the earth then, and more worshippers for God.More work and more worshippers. Here we better understand just why each of us ultimately works, as St. Ignatius of Loyola said, "Ad maiorem Dei gloriam" - for the greater glory of God. All products and services in our economy point in this direction. No matter what any of us does, from the most menial work to the pronouncements of the mightiest head of state, we unite together in our daily labor to further God's plan for Creation. Period. It's ultimately not about our bonus, our company dominating its industry, building a nest egg for retirement, or any of the myriad practical objectives we have when we clock in to work each day. Whether we consciously work each day with this in mind doesn't matter. That's just how it is for us Catholics - or should be.
While we may not be conscious of this ultimate reason for our work every minute of every day, it is, however, important for us to grasp this and in some way incorporate our understanding into our daily work. Given the plethora of jobs, businesses, and professions out there, it's hard to be specific here regarding how each of us, in our own work, can do this. However, Cardinal Wyszynski does provide some guidance here:
Whoever has an open heart, and loves God without reserve, is not afraid of new people, of children, cribs, or the abundant population of the earth. He wants as many people as possible so that Heaven may one day possess its "millions of millions."An open heart allows God's grace to flow freely to aid and enlighten us. Loving without reserve opens our heart. The result of that openness removes our fears. We love God and neighbor, just as Jesus taught us. When we love our family, friends, and neighbor, we work with great purpose and generosity. This not only refers to our previous discussion of the need to produce surplus for the benefit of our families and those in need, but reminds those of us who are married that we're called to be generous in raising up children to glorify God.
The world should rejoice in this. If properly understood, those who love God and neighbor ultimately make the world what it was designed to be - a place to enhance our journey towards eternal happiness with God in Heaven. And the most perfect understanding of this will be found in the teachings of the Catholic Church. Ideally, the perfect expression of this understanding will be found among Catholics - you and me. We're the boots on the ground that consciously and conscientiously carry out God's plan for His Creation in our work each day.
The Catholic will in life is the will to work; it is the source of progress in the world, and of the further development of civilization and culture.Can you see how, if we pull our weight, the world should rejoice with us?
As we head off to work today, let's make the effort to acknowledge and embrace our calling to further the development of civilization and culture. With each tool we use or piece of paper process, with each key stroke on our computers, we can and should capture the spirit of that will to work; it should communicate our intention to civilize a world filled with good and faithful servants, true children of God. If we approach our work this way each and every day, we will see our work from God's point of view.
Next time, we'll continue exploring our theme and see how, in our daily work, we: add new values and possibilities to creation; not only sense what God intends in His work of creation, but harmonize the rhythm of our work with God's.
For today, as St. Ignatius urges us, work "Ad maiorem Dei gloriam."
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