Work
plays a very important role in human life - not only a personal role, but a
social one - not only an economic role but a religious one as well. A full
understanding of the role of human work will achieve a real integration of work
into the fullness of our lives and the harmony of all its aspects.
In Matt. 20:1-7, when an owner of the vineyard hires unemployed
people late in the day and pays them a full day's wage, the owner shows his
concern for all unemployed persons because "no one should live without work."
How old this problem is! It is not accidental that Jesus puts this parable in
the Gospel. We must see in all this the will of the Holy Spirit. The owner's
question and the answer to it must have a special meaning for all ages and for
the whole world. The value of work, in human eyes, increases as its fruits
become more obvious and increasingly more valuable.
People are beginning to realize that work is not only a personal
matter but a social force. Over the ages, we are so much more a part of society
in our work and so much less our own property. Each individual's strength and
ability to work is becoming more and more a social force. It is very important
to determine the essence, character, and meaning of work because of how
contemporary, important, and timely it is.
What is human work? To answer this question we need to consider
both God's thought and human life. The Holy Scripture contains many beautiful
thoughts about work. First and foremost it honors the "work" of God Himself. In
John 5:17, the Son of God spoke, "My Father never ceased working, and I, too,
must work." In the Book of Genesis we see six images of the whole creation of
the world. Everything in the universe acts by God's power. Without His power,
even for an instant, the whole world would turn into lifelessness and death.
Scripture praises God's work in many places, i.e. Psalm 104. The control of the
earth is in God's hands. Everything takes its life from His own hands. It is a
great mystery of the earth how God supplies food for the beasts and birds, and
produces bread for us.
It is God who creates the conditions for our work. If not for
God's gifts, we would not be able to work, because He supplies the material for
new work. Even today with advanced technology, we see how dependent our work is
on God's work and activity. The whole plan for the world is designed in detail
by God Himself. He dictates not only the general law how the world is to be
ruled but also the smallest subsections. It is amazing that all that He prepares
for us, He entrusts to us rational and weak beings, who must play our part in
bringing all creation to the fulfillment of the plan intended by God. We are His
coworkers able to recognize and carry out God's plans.
God sent His Son to us, Jesus Christ, who was a
worker Himself. Jesus united His action to the action of His Father. Jesus gave
us many examples of the Father's work. He called His Father a householder,
sower, and husbandman. Jesus, as a man, was drawn into His Father's work. His
eyes were fixed on God's example. In the period between 12 and 30 years old,
Jesus practiced His trade of carpentry and small farming. Although the Scripture
is silent about it, Jesus' teaching bears witness to this. He has wonderful
knowledge of the fields and the vineyards. His parables are too close to real
life to come from an inexperienced man.
Christ's Apostles were also workers, ordinary, everyday hard
workers. Even when they traveled from place to place to teach, they supported
themselves by manual labor.
The Christian tradition stresses that working provides the means
to give to the poor. It emphasizes the importance of the unity of spiritual and
physical work, i.e. monastic life where contemplation goes hand in hand with
manual labor. The soul of social reform and elevation of work has always been
promulgated by Christianity. Christianity has always connected work with God,
work that sustains life and work that helps people reach the full development of
their personalities. God is always blessing work: "Your work will provide for
your needs; you will be happy and prosperous" [Ps. 128:2].
It is of utmost importance for us to see the need for work in
human life. Every person was created to work. This is why we need to pray
constantly that all people will be able to find work to fulfill God's plan for
them, that is, to sustain them and enable them to share with those who are
poor.
