Gospel: Mt. 5: 1-12a
11 Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.
When work hurts
By Bishop Precioso D. Cantillas, SDB, DD
There are times when we wish we were not in the kind of work we are doing, because of the insults and persecutions we might be subjected to even if we sincerely feel that we are doing our best in our jobs. Those performing leadership roles would oftentimes suffer the malady of being misunderstood by the followers or painfully bear the pain and shame of some false accusations thrown by envious or self-righteous colleagues. Even those who consider themselves as simple, ordinary workers may also find themselves in such exasperating moments that they would ask themselves what and why they should suffer so much in work. What value do all these hurtful work experiences have, more than the money and material compensation they give?
The most consoling answer to the above questions is the assurance of Jesus who categorically states that a great reward in heaven awaits those who suffer “every kind of evil” for His sake, because of a great faith and love for Him. All kinds of evil in the work and the workplace which one encounters and suffers therefore, could earn heavenly reward for the workers who unites himself with Jesus. The workers’ affiliation to Jesus and to His church could give more benefits, albeit of a different kind but definitely not of a lesser value than what any workers’ union could provide its workers-members in lieu of the many pains and suffering endured in work. The material compensation for work could never satisfy completely all the needs of the workers and longings of his heart.
When work hurts, we should realize that what really matters is the reason and for whom we spend our life and energy—Jesus, the Giver of the reward and even the Reward Himself not only in heaven but also here in the earthly workplace.
Its own reward
By Teresa R. Tunay, OCDS
Places of work can offer many of the greatest opportunities for human growth. Why? Because there you spend so much time in so little space with people who try your patience and tolerance. In the workplace, you are bound to get hurt, particularly when you make it a point to try to be good, proper and trustworthy in everything you do. Whether we like it or not, mores have changed and as time passes people seem to bother less and less about work ethics and the common good. Where before we took pains to be proper, now we prefer to be "practical". Our idols, too, are no longer those who stood for what was right—and died for it sometimes—but those who through sheer good looks or luck and media hype have become kings and queens of Popularlandia. Read newspaper headlines, watch the biggest billboards on the highway, notice who our children imitate, and you'll see what I mean.
Try observing ourselves and our co-workers: how many of us would place compassion above convenience, who would care first for "everybody" before "me"? More and more it seems the fashion now it to make rules as we go along and then break them when they're no longer fun. Our values have changed so that "majority" and "mediocrity" have become synonymous, and when you try to save or restore order or a life-giving atmosphere at work, you are branded as hopelessly old fashioned, a pathetic dreamer, or at the very least, a killjoy.
But if we are Christians who are worth our salt, we would welcome the discomfort of being ignored, abhorred or laughed at because behind it all we get a foretaste of heaven in knowing that doing what is right and good is its own reward.
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