You Should Work

Perhaps I was premature in my last article Work Should be Joyful. It assumed man must work. And indeed, man must work. Let’s look at this foundational teaching.


As one theologian wrote “Man must work both because the Creator has commanded it and . . .Man must work out of regard for others . . . since he himself is the heir to the work of generations and at the same time a sharer in building the future for those who will come after him in the succession of history.” (Pope John Paul II, Laborem Exercens, 73).

Work isn’t bad. Remember last week’s article. Work is good. Work should be enjoyed, perhaps with some attitude adjustment. Once “work” is framed this way, it’s possible to understand the command to work. For instance, I had a Benedictine monk tell me years ago during a personal reflection retreat it was okay for me to get away from my business (provided it functioned in my absence) and pursue other interests. He wasn’t advocating doing nothing. Rather, it was an invitation to follow my natural curiosity. This creative work, identifying additional competencies, paid or not, fulfills this mandate to work. And it’s fun.

The old view of “work is bad” or to be avoided germinated from a society rooted primarily in jobs that that “grind men down with excessive labour as to stupefy their minds and wear out their bodies,” a condition John Paul II admonished in 1991. (Centesimus). Today’s connected world won’t tolerate it. That’s a good thing. But the world also won’t tolerate the other extreme – self -absorbed employees with little work ethic. Such workers shirk more than the terms of their employment agreement, , they disregard God’s command. I think the majority of Americans risk living closer to the latter scenario.

The key is to harness your individuality within a larger organized effort. Everyone wants to produce. But not everyone wants to produce when it’s for other people, like owners and employers. They’d rather do it for themselves. Maybe they don’t like, or believe in, the people they report to or work with. Judging by recent news reports, 45-70% of Americans dislike their jobs. That’s over 100 million people! How can that many people be unhappy with their jobs? Is it the content of the job? Is it co-workers or bosses? Is it the perceived lack of direct benefit to society? Should we resort to an agrarian norm? Heck, I own two farms and dream of working by the sweat of my brow (my wife and kids laugh at this) Such a narrow view implies technological advancement is bad. Progress is a good, moral development in the right context. And our challenge is not to revert to a perceived Nirvana, but to understand how to apply ourselves into this developing world for the betterment of all.

Perhaps one of the best ways to combat aloofness is simply be through exemplifying virtuous work habits. Life is hard. So why not just show up to work on time, put on a smile, and slug it out. Too many workers through in the proverbial towel without quitting their jobs. They don’t “buy in.” They go through the motions. What’s missing is a sense you owe it to God if no one else to work hard and do your best.