Wednesday, 5th Week of
Easter, Year C (Memorial of St Joseph the Worker)
Genesis 1:26-2:3; Matthew
13:54-58
Do you know why they say “An idle
mind is the devil’s workshop”? It is because idleness is a sin and one sin
disposes one to commit more sins thereby making the person some kind of factory
where sin is reproduced by the devil. But why do we say idleness is a sin?
Idleness is a sin because to work is a divine mission, and idleness violates
that mission. Where did you get the idea that work in a mission? The Bible
makes it clear.
As we read in the first reading
of today, God was the first person who engaged in work. He did the work of
creation in 6 days and rested on the 7th day. Then He hands over the
whole of all visible creation to man giving him the mandate to maintain and
sustain it by the work of His mind and hand. This was one of the first mission
man received and it was a privilege to so partner with the Creator in the
business of sustaining creation.
Along the line, man fell from
grace through the sin of disobedience against God. As a result of this man was
driven from paradise and part of the sentence was: “By the sweet of your brow
you will eat your food until you return to the ground from which you were made”.
Work then became a punishment due to sin but Jesus was to come to redeem man
from sin and from the curse that resulted from it. So when the Son of God took
the likeness of men, He willed to work as a carpenter so as to sanctify work
and bring it to its original purposefulness. His redemptive work made work once
again a mission to the glory of God and a source of blessing and fulfilment to
us.
If we are able to appreciate this
understanding of work, then we will be more disposed to have the right attitude
towards work. Work, we must work because the opposite, which is idleness, is
not an option but a sin. How do we work? We must work dedicatedly having in
mind that it is for the glory of God that we work. Then we must work in such a
way that we serve others through our work. That way we will gain the blessings
and fulfilment that comes from a work well done.
Happy workers’ day and God loves
you.
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