Section — Koch–Preuss
Section 3: Labor as a Religious Duty
- Labor would have been a duty even in the pure state of nature, but it has become absolutely necessary, and sacred as well, since the fall of our first parents. For now it is also a punishment and a means of penance, nay, more than that, —a means of atonement and redemption.1 St. Thomas says: "Thirdly, [manual labor] is ordained for the repression of concupiscence, inasmuch as by it the body is mortified.2... The Apostle prescribes manual labor, first, to avoid theft;3 secondly, as an antidote to covetousness;4 third, against dishonest transactions by means of which some men make a living."5
1 Gen. III, 17-19.—Cfr. St. Augustine, De Gen. ad Lit., l. VIII, c. 8, n. 15: “Whatever delight agriculture possesses was surely far greater then, when nothing adverse happened either from earth or from heaven. For there was no affliction of labor, but an exhilaration of the will, since those things which God had created came forth more joyfully and fruitfully with the aid of human work.” (Migne, P. L., XXXIV, 379).
2 2 Cor. VI, 5.
3 Eph. IV, 28.
5 2 Thess. III, 10 sq. The quotation is from the Summa Theol., 2a 2ae, qu. 187, art. 3: “Thirdly, [manual labor] is ordained to the restraining of concupiscence, insofar as the body is mortified by it.... For the Apostle prescribes manual work, first, for avoiding theft; secondly, for avoiding covetousness of the things of others; thirdly, for avoiding shameful occupations from which some acquire a livelihood.” —Cfr. M. Hausherr, Die geheiligte Handarbeit, Mayence 1873.
Christ Himself was the son of a carpenter.6 He bore the burdens of an humble day laborer as part of His great work of sacrifice and atonement and by His example showed men how to sanctify and ennoble their daily task. The faithful Christian, therefore, labors not only to earn his bread, to provide for his family, to heap up riches, to gain the means of enjoyment, or because he prefers activity to idleness, but mainly for the reason that labor is a sacred duty which he owes to God, to himself, and to his fellowmen. He works for the honor and glory of God, for the sanctification of his own soul, and for the relief of his needy neighbors.7
6 Matth. XIII, 55; Mark VI, 3; cfr. John IV, 34; V, 38; VIII, 29.
The last-mentioned point is thus explained by St. Thomas: "In the fourth place [manual labor ] is ordained for the giving of alms.8... In this respect it does not, however, fall under the necessity of precept, except where one is under strict obligation to give alms and can obtain the means of succoring the poor from no other source. In that case all men, religious as well as seculars, are obliged to perform manual labor."9
8 Eph. IV, 28.
9 Summa Theol., 2a 2ae, qu. 187, art. 3: “Fourthly, [manual labor] is ordained to the giving of alms.... But insofar as manual work is ordained to giving alms, it does not fall under the necessity of precept, except perhaps in some case in which someone were bound by necessity to give alms and could not otherwise have the means from which to assist the poor; in that case religious and secular persons alike would be bound to perform manual works.”
Radulphus Ardens, a famous theologian and preacher of the twelfth century,10 tersely sums up the benefits of labor as follows: It destroys vice, nourishes virtue, provides the necessaries of life, and affords the means of giving alms.11
10 Cfr. M. Grabmann, Geschichte der scholastischen Methode, Vol. I, Freiburg 1909, pp. 246 sqq.
11 Hom., l. II, c. 32 (Migne, P. L., CLV, 1615): “It destroys vices, nourishes virtues, provides necessities, and gives alms.”
It was a grand and thoroughly Christian idea, which found expression throughout the Middle Ages, that man shall not regard his work and earnings, no matter how modest, selfishly, but always in relation to his neighbor. The Pauline passage embodying this thought: "Let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have something to give to him that suffereth need,"12 was made the basis of a number of ancient monastic rules, which we know from the writings of St. Benedict of Aniane.13
12 Eph. IV, 28.
13 On Benedict of Aniane see J. P. Kirsch in the Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. II, p. 467.
Intimately related to this idea are two others, namely, (i) that labor is a duty which man owes to God, and (2) that it is a necessary means of developing the higher, spiritual side of his nature. Together these three concepts acted as a ferment in the conservative social and economic life of the Middle Ages. The idea that the living to which one is entitled should correspond to one's social position, was thus safeguarded against undue exaggeration. A man was permitted to earn more than he required for himself and his dependents, but only on condition that he took good care of his soul, made becoming sacrifices to God, gave alms to the poor, and faithfully performed all his duties to society.14
14 Cfr. F. Schaub, Der Kampf gegen den Zinswucher, Freiburg 1905, pp. 16 sq.
"Nothing hinders us from raising our daily work to the higher Christian plane of dignity and value. Hence there should no longer be question of compulsory labor; the loud, cheerful 'aye' of a man perfectly willing to work prevails over the 'nay' of indolent, weary nature. Thus a man becomes free, even if born in labor's chains. He determines the kind and value of his work; and he appropriates its best fruit, the absolutely sure pay which no one can lessen. With his work he is serving not men, not force, nor necessity, nor a gloomy fate, nor a machine, nor the owner of a machine, but the Overlord of all work, his God and Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus." "So we learn to prize and honor and love work. We know that we never labor in vain, that despite all human weakness, misery, and imperfection, our work has a value. We know how much we owe to work, and what a benefit is a great serious life-task; how work steels the will, trains the faculties, strengthens the whole man; how external labor helps us in our inner work with ourselves, promoting moral purity, mental breadth and depth. Often we profit as much by failure as by success, —sometimes even more. In a great sorrow or a terrible crisis, we find that work has a wonderful power of healing. When work is completed, we enjoy inner peace, a pleasant fatigue. And not only do we rejoice after work, but we learn to be joyful during our work, and even to enjoy the work itself. That is the true joy of work; and sometimes it breaks out in song. 'Give me the man who sings while at work,' says Carlyle."15
15 Bishop Keppler, op. cit., pp. 229 sq. A modern poet describes Jesus going through a great factory, not impressed by its marvellous machinery, its speed, its skill, but "looking for His singing-man," — the man whom His Father made to sing at work. He looks in vain. (See Catholic Fortnightly Review, St. Louis, Mo., Vol. XXV (1918), No. 23.)