Tuesday 10th February – Memorial of St Scholastica, Virgin

Reflection: Genesis 1:20-2:4

THE NEED TO WORK HARD

“On the seventh day, God ended his work which he had made and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. God blessed the seventh day, sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work.” (Genesis 2:2-3)
Hard work can be described as the effort put into duties that have to be accomplished. Its rewards include success, fulfilment and of course, rest of mind and body. God worked hard at creation for six days and at the end he was fulfilled as He looked at the beauty of the work of his hands. As creatures made in His image and likeness, we are obliged to be like God thus we must work hard if we desire fulfilment but be careful not abuse our bodies in the process. There should be adequate time to rest our minds and bodies. More than merely resting, God sanctified the seventh day. Thus, we are expected to keep it holy.

As young people, we often neglect our duties, believing that our parents should bear the responsibilities while we enjoy life to its fullest. We want success and rest without hard-work. Just like it was at creation, so it is with our everyday lives – success and rest only come after hard work, not before it. “If you are lazy, you will never get what you are after, but if you work hard, you will get a fortune” (Prov 12:27). “When someone is too lazy to repair his roof, it will leak, and the house will fall in” (Ecclesiastes 10:18).

Hard-work is the key to success. Rest well earned is the key to a relaxed mind. Make a decision to work hard at home, school, work etc and you will find yourself much happier.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please strengthen me to perform my duties diligently and bless the work of my hand with success.

KNOW YOUR FAITH: YOUCAT 46 – Why does the Book of Genesis depict creation as “the work of six days”?
The symbol of the work week, which is crowned by a day of rest (Gen 1:1-2:3), is an expression of how good, beautiful, and wisely ordered creation is.

HIDE A TREASURE: “If anyone would not work, let him not eat” 1 Thessalonians 3:10 RSV-CE

Readings for Today: Genesis 1: 20-2:4; Psalm 8: 4-9; Mark 7:1-13