Catholic Social Teaching: Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers 

“Work is fundamental to the dignity of a person. Work … anoints us with dignity, fills us with dignity, makes us similar to God, who has worked and still works …”

–Pope Francis, Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, May 1, 2013

But Jesus answered them, “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.”

-John 5:17

How tempting it is to relegate these words of Jesus to the archives of history! But let us realize that they are as relevant now as they were 2,000 years ago-ours is a God of work, a God who is constantly creating anew in us and in our world, a God who beckons us to work alongside him with our own skills and passions and dreams.

Let us pause, then, and consider our own work. Do we recognize God’s hand in the tasks we are given? Do we embrace Jesus’ call to keep working, to enter into relationship with our Creator God who never tires? Or do we allow ourselves to give in to our frustrations, to deem a task frivolous or beneath us, to take the easy way out? Do we fail to allow God to use our efforts-no matter how seemingly small-for God’s own greater glory?

The opportunity to work in the image and likeness of God who worked is a right of every person, the avenue through which each human being is able to more fully reveal God’s glory in the world. How, during this Lenten season, will we, liberate that which is holy hidden in the world around us?