Daily reflection _ a gift freely given

A GIFT FREELY GIVEN
We are to assist God in the work of creation. It is all a gift and we need to be responsible for the gift that has freely been given to us.
Deacon John Ruscheinsky
Many people look forward to retirement and a time when they no longer have to work. Some of the Thessalonians looked forward to "retiring" from this world and awaited the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. They were so convinced that Christ was to come very soon that they gave up working. After all, if Christ is coming, they thought, what was the point of plowing and planting and harvesting? St. Paul tried to convince them that nothing had happened to foreshadow this coming, and he gave himself as an example of how they should continue to work. Now, centuries after St. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, we still have no idea when Christ will come again to bring the Kingdom of God to perfection. All we know is that God's Kingdom is still in a period of growth and we, as are all God's people, are called to contribute to its up building.
The readings today give us pause to examine our attitude toward a very important human activity, our work. Paul took pride in working to support himself so as not to be a burden to others. He saw work as necessary to live a human, orderly and peaceable life, but the Pharisees used their sacred work as a tool for pride and self-display. In Genesis, God is pictured as settling human beings in the Garden of Eden to enjoy cultivating and caring for it. It seems that the very reason for creating them was to care for the earth, to assist God, as it were, in the work of creation.
When I was in corporate America, work was very competitive and, at times, it became tainted with status and power so that some work was considered sacred and other work degrading. I have been the Director of IHRC for the past sixteen years, and being here has allowed me to see work in a new way. The true meaning of working to build God's Kingdom and to serve, brings people to this holy place one by one. The staff has been coming together to meet the needs of the retreatants for their comfort and to have a peaceful atmosphere. Truly cultivating the people of God to come and pray and ponder on what is going on in their life. Like St. Paul, I am truly proud because of the work we are doing at this beautiful place.
We are all called to put our best efforts in any work that we are doing. Be it in our community, the corporate structure or working at the retreat center. We are to assist God in the work of creation. It is all a gift and we need to be responsible for the gift that has freely been given to us.