Posted on 08/20/2015 2:06:07 PM PDT by NYer
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis on Wednesday praised hard work as an essential aspect of God’s design for the family, and he applauded personal readiness to contribute to the common good rather than “Iiving off the backs” of others.
Speaking to pilgrims in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall during his weekly catechesis, the Pope said “the nicest thing one can say about a serious, honest person is: ‘he’s a worker.’”
The Pope denounced idleness, citing St. Paul’s injunction to the early Christians: “If anyone will not work, let him not eat” (2 Thess. 3:10).
“That’s a recipe for losing weight,” the Pope joked. “You don’t work, you don’t eat!”
Yet he made clear that St. Paul “was referring explicitly to the false spiritualism of some who lived off the backs of their brothers and sisters, while ‘not doing any work’” (2 Thess 3:11).
Pope Francis explained that an authentic Christian vision of life sees work and man’s spiritual life intimately connected, as the father of Western monasticism — St. Benedict — taught. To St. Benedict, in fact, are traditionally ascribed two mottos: “Prefer nothing to the love of Christ”; and “Ora et labora,” i.e. pray and work.
“A lack of work harms the spirit, just as a lack of prayer detracts from practical activity,” the pontiff said.
Work, the Holy Father explained further, is proper to the human person. It expresses his dignity of being created in the image of God. “That is why we say that work is sacred,” he added.
Work also enables families to care and provide for their children and lead a dignified life, the Pope continued. And it is in the family that children first learn how to work for the common good and the glory of God.
“The family teaches children to work through the example of their parents: the father and mother who work for the good of their family and society,” he said.
We find the greatest example of “a family of workers” in the Holy Family of Nazareth, and in the Gospels, Jesus himself is called the ‘son of the carpenter’ (Mt 13:55) or even ‘the carpenter’ (Mk 6:3).
In unscripted remarks the Pope said: “I am sad when I see that there are people out of work, who cannot find work and do not have the dignity of bringing home their daily bread. And I rejoice very much when I see governments endeavor to create jobs and to see that that everyone has a job.”
Citing the account of Creation contained in the book of Genesis, the Pope said work, like celebration, are part of God’s plan for the human family, the Pope explained.
“It’s not romanticism; it’s divine revelation,” he boldly said. “And we are responsible for understanding and implementing it.”
Pope Francis explained that his recent encyclical on the envoirnment Laudato si’, which he said sets forth an “integral ecology,” contains this message: “the beauty of the earth and the dignity of work go hand in hand.”
“When work is detached from God’s covenant with man and woman, and it is separated from its spiritual qualities, when work is held hostage by the logic of profit-alone and a disregard for human life, the poisoning of the soul contaminates everything: even the air, the water, the grass, food … the life of society is corrupted and the environment breaks down,” he said, adding that “it is the poorest, and the poorest families, who are affected most of all.”
“The modern organization of work sometimes shows a dangerous tendency to consider the family a burden, a weight, a liability for labor productivity,” he said. “But let us ask ourselves: what productivity? And for whom? The so-called ‘smart-city’ undoubtedly has a wealth of services and organization; but it is often hostile to children and the elderly.”
God has given Christian families the challenge and mission to make present the foundations of his creation: a true understanding of the identity of man and woman and the bond they share, their call to bring children into the world, and the gift of work in making the world ever more fruitful and hospitable.
The Holy Father concluded, praying: “May God help us to embrace this call in joy and hope, especially amidst the many challenges we face today.”
Ping!
Finally, something for the productive class.
Now that’s a big flip flop.....Is he implying capitalism works?? And supports the lesser.
Maybe he heard Trump.
Interesting. I bet we don’t see this in the Washington Compost, New York Slimes, or the puling morons at ABCCBSNBCCNN etc.
FINALLY!!!! Dear Pope.....that is what SOCIALISM, MARXISM, COMMUNISM IS!!!
“... And I rejoice very much when I see governments endeavor to create jobs and to see that that everyone has a job.”
Has he condemned Planned Parenthood yet? I really don’t pay much attention to his pronouncements - they have so little to do with God the Father, the Blessed Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit.
Just a guy in fancy clothing and living off the hard earned tithes of the congregation.
Does he mean that? Was it St Paul who said that he who doesn’t work shouldn’t eat?
If so, then el Popo should look in his back yard at the hordes of individuals streaming in and who will not contribute anything to the host country.
Being a Catholic it is about TIME!!
Where is this report getting these quotes? All I see on the Vatican Website for Wednesday’s General Audience is this:
I see nothing about “living off the backs of others” for example. I do see references to caring for the earth and the environment though.
Il lavoro, si dice comunemente, è necessario per mantenere la famiglia, per crescere i figli, per assicurare ai propri cari una vita dignitosa. Di una persona seria, onesta, la cosa più bella che si possa dire è: “E’ un lavoratore”, è proprio uno che lavora, è uno che nella comunità non vive alle spalle degli altri. Ci sono tanti argentini oggi, ho visto, e dirò come diciamo noi: «No vive de arriba».
E in effetti il lavoro, nelle sue mille forme, a partire da quello casalingo, ha cura anche del bene comune. E dove si impara questo stile di vita laborioso? Prima di tutto si impara in famiglia. La famiglia educa al lavoro con l’esempio dei genitori: il papà e la mamma che lavorano per il bene della famiglia e della società.
Nel Vangelo, la Santa Famiglia di Nazaret appare come una famiglia di lavoratori, e Gesù stesso viene chiamato «figlio del falegname» (Mt 13,55) o addirittura «il falegname» (Mc 6,3). E san Paolo non mancherà di ammonire i cristiani: «Chi non vuole lavorare, neppure mangi» (2 Ts 3,10). - È una bella ricetta per dimagrire questa, non lavori, non mangi! - L’Apostolo si riferisce esplicitamente al falso spiritualismo di alcuni che, di fatto, vivono alle spalle dei loro fratelli e sorelle «senza far nulla» (2 Ts 3,11). L’impegno del lavoro e la vita dello spirito, nella concezione cristiana, non sono affatto in contrasto tra loro. E’ importante capire bene questo! Preghiera e lavoro possono e devono stare insieme in armonia, come insegna san Benedetto. La mancanza di lavoro danneggia anche lo spirito, come la mancanza di preghiera danneggia anche l’attività pratica.
Lavorare – ripeto, in mille forme – è proprio della persona umana. Esprime la sua dignità di essere creata a immagine di Dio. Perciò si dice che il lavoro è sacro. E perciò la gestione dell’occupazione è una grande responsabilità umana e sociale, che non può essere lasciata nelle mani di pochi o scaricata su un “mercato” divinizzato. Causare una perdita di posti di lavoro significa causare un grave danno sociale. Io mi rattristo quando vedo che c’è gente senza lavoro, che non trova lavoro e non ha la dignità di portare il pane a casa. E mi rallegro tanto quando vedo che i governanti fanno tanti sforzi per trovare posti di lavoro e per cercare che tutti abbiano un lavoro. Il lavoro è sacro, il lavoro dà dignità a una famiglia. Dobbiamo pregare perché non manchi il lavoro in una famiglia.
Here is a quick auto-translate (don't have time right now to do a hand translation):
The work, it is commonly said, is needed to support his family, to raise children, to ensure their loved ones a decent life. A serious person, honest, the best thing we can say is: "It 'a worker," is just one that works, is one that the community does not live behind the other. There are so many Argentines today, I saw, and I will say as we say, "No lives de arriba".
And indeed the work, in its many forms, from the home, takes care also of the common good. And where do you learn this lifestyle laborious? First of all you learn in the family. The family educates to work with the example of parents : the father and mother who work for the good of the family and society.
In the Gospel, the Holy Family of Nazareth appears as a working family, and Jesus himself is called a "carpenter's son" ( Mt 13:55) or even "the carpenter" ( Mk 6.3). And Saint Paul will warn Christians: "Who does not want to work should not eat" ( 2 Thessalonians 3:10). - It is a good recipe to lose weight this does not work, does not eat! - The Apostle refers explicitly to false spiritualism of some that, in fact, they live off the backs of their brothers and sisters 'doing nothing' ( 2 Thes 3:11). The commitment of the work and life of the spirit, in the Christian conception, are not at all at odds with each other. 'Important to understand this! Prayer and work can and should be together in harmony, as taught by St. Benedict. The lack of work is also bad for the spirit, such as lack of prayer also damages the practical activity.
Work - I repeat, in many forms - it is the human person. It expresses the dignity of being created in the image of God. Hence it is said that work is sacred. And therefore the employment management is a big responsibility and human capital, which can not be left in the hands of a few or uploaded to a "market" deified. Cause a loss of jobs means bring about serious social harm. I am sad when I see that there are people out of work, who can not find work and does not have the dignity to bring the bread home. And I rejoice so much when I see that the rulers are so hard to find jobs and to try that everyone has a job. The work is sacred, the work gives dignity to a family. We must pray because they lack the work in a family.
Good to know, thank you. I find it interesting then that the summary on the Vatican website includes things about taking part in the creation of the Earth and the environment and I don’t see any of that in your auto translation.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.