Prayer, Work, and Leisure
1. The pattern of our lives should be a combination of prayer, work, and leisure. There should be no room, however, for idleness.
“Prayer.” Prayer is most essential. The life of a Christian should be a continual prayer. As Jesus commanded, we “must always pray and not lose heart.” (Luke 18:1)
How can we achieve this? St. Paul has told us. “Whatever you d...o in word or in work,” he says, “do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Col. 3:17) If we follow his instructions, our lives will really be a prayer. Before we begin our day's work we shall turn to God and offer Him our labours and our difficulties. During our work we shall raise our minds to God from time to time as Jesus, Mary and Joseph must have done in the home and in the workshop at Nazareth. Whenever we speak, we should remember that we are in the presence of God. Then our conversation and our behaviour will be free from defect and will edify those who are with us. The grace of God can illumine the most ordinary conversations and actions which are in themselves quite indifferent. It is enough to live in a spiritual atmosphere of our own and to keep our thoughts turned towards God while we are living and walking on this earth. If we can aspire to such a spiritual height, then our work will become a prayer pleasing to God, whether it is mental or manual, pleasant or burdensome. God will grant us interior peace, moreover, for we shall be no longer working alone, but Jesus Christ will be working with us by His grace. This is the way the Saints worked, and this is how their lives were a prayer.
2. “Work.” Work is a duty commanded by God, Who after the sin of Adam told him and his descendants: “In the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread.” (Gen. 3:19) So work became an obligation and a means of expiation. We are all obliged, therefore, to engage in some kind of work, mental or manual, whether we are rich or poor. Idleness has been condemned by God as the father of all the vices. “Idleness,” warns the Holy Spirit, “is an apt teacher of mischief.” (Ecclus. 33:29) It is impossible for a man who works and prays to commit sin, both because he lacks the time and because he is close to God. A man who is close to God will certainly never offend Him, whereas the mind of a man who is lazy and inactive is open to the attractions of sin. Let us shun idleness, therefore, and love hard work as a means of making reparation for our sins and of gaining merit before God.
3. “Leisure.” Some of the Saints made it one of their resolutions to take about an hour's recreation every day. They were thinking in terms of rest, however, not of inactivity. Rest is the reward of labour and is necessary for frail human nature. Idleness, on the other hand, is a vice and the source of sin. We should take our repose only after our work and in consequence of it. Even during recreation we should continue to live in the presence of God and to think of Him from time to time. If we enjoy our leisure in the open air, everything speaks to us of God, for we are surrounded by the flowers and the birds. When St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus was going for a walk one day, she stopped to admire a tiny flower. Enraptured by its beauty, she exclaimed aloud: "How good you are, O God !" Our recreation can be the source of increased sanctification.
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Wednesday, 26 November 2014
Thursday, 14 August 2014
Work and Worry - Cardinal Bacci
Work and Worry
1. When we recite the Lord's Prayer, we say with confidence "Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." This does not mean, however, that we renounce in a spirit of fatalism all right to action and initiative on our part.
“Faith,” says St. James, “unless it has works, is dead in itself.” (James 2: 17-26) The same applies to charity. (James 2: 13-17)
Faith and charity must be accompanied by action, which should always be inspired by the interior life. But our external activity should never be allowed to quench the flame of the divine life within us. If this should happen, our labour would grow sterile and would receive no blessing from God.
We should work hard, but should always act as if death might come at any moment. In other words, we should not become completely absorbed in our work, but should keep before our minds the ideals of the glory of God, our own sanctification, and the salvation of our neighbour. If our efforts seem to be successful, we should thank God. But if all our work appears to be in vain we should thank Him just the same, for such things happen with God's permission. Providence often guides events in its own way for the promotion of God’s glory and for our greater good, which can be achieved through our humiliation as well as through our success.
If our spiritual outlook is in conformity with these principles, we shall be able to preserve our peace of mind, no matter how busy we may be.
2. There are many people who claim that they are working for God and for souls. In fact, they do work hard and make great sacrifices, but at the first sign of failure they are disappointed and discouraged. Why is this? It is because they only believed that they were working for God and for His Church, whereas in their heart and soul they were more influenced by self-love and by a desire for the praise and approval of others. Their motives were not completely disinterested, and their sacrifices were not made entirely for God. Therefore they were disturbed by visions of success in human terms and were agitated at the prospect of failure.
The Saints worked hard also, but they never worried. They were always calm, because their attention was focused on Heaven rather than on themselves. As long as we work entirely for God and accept as His will the outcome of our efforts, everything will go well for us even when it seems to be going badly.
3. Some people imagine that they are not working properly unless they are worrying and fretting and attracting the attention of others. This kind of approach results in more agitation than action. These people are working more for worldly glory than for the glory of God, and their best efforts are ruined by self love. “They have received their reward,” (Mt. 6:2-5) and they cannot hope to be rewarded in the next life.
We should aim at a purity of intention which will inspire us to do everything for the love of God. We should remember that the internal action of grace is what matters most in the life of a Christian. If that is lacking, all our external activity is worthless in the sight of God.
1. When we recite the Lord's Prayer, we say with confidence "Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." This does not mean, however, that we renounce in a spirit of fatalism all right to action and initiative on our part.
“Faith,” says St. James, “unless it has works, is dead in itself.” (James 2: 17-26) The same applies to charity. (James 2: 13-17)
Faith and charity must be accompanied by action, which should always be inspired by the interior life. But our external activity should never be allowed to quench the flame of the divine life within us. If this should happen, our labour would grow sterile and would receive no blessing from God.
We should work hard, but should always act as if death might come at any moment. In other words, we should not become completely absorbed in our work, but should keep before our minds the ideals of the glory of God, our own sanctification, and the salvation of our neighbour. If our efforts seem to be successful, we should thank God. But if all our work appears to be in vain we should thank Him just the same, for such things happen with God's permission. Providence often guides events in its own way for the promotion of God’s glory and for our greater good, which can be achieved through our humiliation as well as through our success.
If our spiritual outlook is in conformity with these principles, we shall be able to preserve our peace of mind, no matter how busy we may be.
2. There are many people who claim that they are working for God and for souls. In fact, they do work hard and make great sacrifices, but at the first sign of failure they are disappointed and discouraged. Why is this? It is because they only believed that they were working for God and for His Church, whereas in their heart and soul they were more influenced by self-love and by a desire for the praise and approval of others. Their motives were not completely disinterested, and their sacrifices were not made entirely for God. Therefore they were disturbed by visions of success in human terms and were agitated at the prospect of failure.
The Saints worked hard also, but they never worried. They were always calm, because their attention was focused on Heaven rather than on themselves. As long as we work entirely for God and accept as His will the outcome of our efforts, everything will go well for us even when it seems to be going badly.
3. Some people imagine that they are not working properly unless they are worrying and fretting and attracting the attention of others. This kind of approach results in more agitation than action. These people are working more for worldly glory than for the glory of God, and their best efforts are ruined by self love. “They have received their reward,” (Mt. 6:2-5) and they cannot hope to be rewarded in the next life.
We should aim at a purity of intention which will inspire us to do everything for the love of God. We should remember that the internal action of grace is what matters most in the life of a Christian. If that is lacking, all our external activity is worthless in the sight of God.
Monday, 3 February 2014
Work - Cardinal Bacci
Work
1. God created man master of the world. He commanded him to populate it and to rule it. (Cf. Gen. 1: 28) He placed him in an earthly paradise, “to till it and to keep it.” (Gen. 2:15)
As long as man remained in the state of innocence, however, work was a pleasure. It gave him the joy of collaborating with God in the work of creation. Today work is still a pleasure. By working we cooperate with God, because it was His intention that the resources of the earth should be exploited by human industry and intelligence and should benefit both the individual and society. Work is a noble occupation, because it involves cooperation with God's work of creation and conservation. If anybody tries to deprive it of its lofty human character and to reduce it to the level of mere toil, regarding it as nothing more than an instrument of production or a handy system of exchange, he is debasing the worker and robbing him of all spiritual incentive.
2. Since the fall of Adam, work is not only a pleasure, but a burden and an atonement as well. It is deceitful to hold out the promise of a paradise of workers, a possibility in which no intelligent person could be expected to believe. The so-called plan for workers, designed to create a paradise upon earth, produces only a system of regimentation in which men cease to be free and become insignificant parts of the all-powerful state mechanism. We must oppose this degradingly materialistic conception of labour. Work is a command of God Who, after the sin of Adam, told him and his sons: “In the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread.” (Gen. 3:19)
Let us accept from God this high responsibility of cooperating with Him in His work of creation and redemption. Let us accept it alike when it is a pleasure and when it is a sacrifice. Let us accept it with the cheerfulness of the Saints, or at least with resignation. Let us realise that by working we purify our souls and atone for our sins. We also make ourselves useful to our brothers on earth, because the work of our hands and of our minds exercises a social function, especially on behalf of the abandoned classes. It is an apostolate of expiation and redemption for large numbers of souls who are sunk in ignorance and sin.
3. Work is both a right and a duty. It is a right because God created the wealth of the earth for all men. All men, therefore, have the right to exploit these resources and to receive the reward of their labour. If anyone denies or obstructs this fundamental right to work, he is opposing God and committing a grave injustice against his fellowmen and against society. If society does not provide work for all its citizens, it become an unjust organisation capable of bringing into being all types of disorder. If anyone has the opportunity of providing employment and does not do so, he is sinning. If anyone has great wealth and stores it away uselessly, enjoying it himself in pleasant idleness, not only does he sin, but he can sin very seriously. They are guilty of grave sin also who through selfishness do not pay a just wage to their employees, or who through greed for profit create an unchristian and inhuman social gulf between employees and their employers. Meditate seriously on these sacrosanct principles, which have their basis in the Gospel.
Work is also a duty. Everybody must work, either manually or intellectually. So God decreed to Adam in the garden of Eden. St. Paul says very clearly: “If any man will not work, neither let him eat.” (2 Thess. 3:10)
It is wonderful to see how anxious Jesus was to sanctify labour, first of all as a humble workman for thirty years, then as Teacher and Redeemer for the last three years of His life. This is a magnificent example for manual and intellectual workers alike. It is an example which the Saints followed until they had exhausted all their strength.
1. God created man master of the world. He commanded him to populate it and to rule it. (Cf. Gen. 1: 28) He placed him in an earthly paradise, “to till it and to keep it.” (Gen. 2:15)
As long as man remained in the state of innocence, however, work was a pleasure. It gave him the joy of collaborating with God in the work of creation. Today work is still a pleasure. By working we cooperate with God, because it was His intention that the resources of the earth should be exploited by human industry and intelligence and should benefit both the individual and society. Work is a noble occupation, because it involves cooperation with God's work of creation and conservation. If anybody tries to deprive it of its lofty human character and to reduce it to the level of mere toil, regarding it as nothing more than an instrument of production or a handy system of exchange, he is debasing the worker and robbing him of all spiritual incentive.
2. Since the fall of Adam, work is not only a pleasure, but a burden and an atonement as well. It is deceitful to hold out the promise of a paradise of workers, a possibility in which no intelligent person could be expected to believe. The so-called plan for workers, designed to create a paradise upon earth, produces only a system of regimentation in which men cease to be free and become insignificant parts of the all-powerful state mechanism. We must oppose this degradingly materialistic conception of labour. Work is a command of God Who, after the sin of Adam, told him and his sons: “In the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread.” (Gen. 3:19)
Let us accept from God this high responsibility of cooperating with Him in His work of creation and redemption. Let us accept it alike when it is a pleasure and when it is a sacrifice. Let us accept it with the cheerfulness of the Saints, or at least with resignation. Let us realise that by working we purify our souls and atone for our sins. We also make ourselves useful to our brothers on earth, because the work of our hands and of our minds exercises a social function, especially on behalf of the abandoned classes. It is an apostolate of expiation and redemption for large numbers of souls who are sunk in ignorance and sin.
3. Work is both a right and a duty. It is a right because God created the wealth of the earth for all men. All men, therefore, have the right to exploit these resources and to receive the reward of their labour. If anyone denies or obstructs this fundamental right to work, he is opposing God and committing a grave injustice against his fellowmen and against society. If society does not provide work for all its citizens, it become an unjust organisation capable of bringing into being all types of disorder. If anyone has the opportunity of providing employment and does not do so, he is sinning. If anyone has great wealth and stores it away uselessly, enjoying it himself in pleasant idleness, not only does he sin, but he can sin very seriously. They are guilty of grave sin also who through selfishness do not pay a just wage to their employees, or who through greed for profit create an unchristian and inhuman social gulf between employees and their employers. Meditate seriously on these sacrosanct principles, which have their basis in the Gospel.
Work is also a duty. Everybody must work, either manually or intellectually. So God decreed to Adam in the garden of Eden. St. Paul says very clearly: “If any man will not work, neither let him eat.” (2 Thess. 3:10)
It is wonderful to see how anxious Jesus was to sanctify labour, first of all as a humble workman for thirty years, then as Teacher and Redeemer for the last three years of His life. This is a magnificent example for manual and intellectual workers alike. It is an example which the Saints followed until they had exhausted all their strength.
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