Love of Work

The characteristics I would be looking for in the young men is the maturity in outlook in life, the value of their existence and have acknowledged God’s presence in any ways. Being mature will help them value the life expected from them when they are formed as formands.

The initial skills I would want them to acquire are the determination and openness to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and the dynamics of life. I believe that gradual and constant discernment with the formands will help us both in the process. It should be a holistic approach, examining everything and every experience.

To enable them to love their work, I would recommend to them to learn leadership skills so that they will be inspired and value the work given to them. A leader is not always who demand or command but also one who follows according to what was discerned well by the group. Leading by doing will also help them be inspired in any work that shows willingness to love every work.

Being a Brother, love of work doesn’t only mean manual work but also the disposition to do simple or even administrative work especially the work of the Institute. In every simple work a Brother shows interest and generosity for others, most likely, this will be his attitude towards bigger work entrusted to that brother. With the help of other Brothers in different works, we share and are interested to each others’ works as means of unifying and understanding each brother in a community. Loving our work is another way of loving each others’ works.

A Reflection about Love of Work, February 2, 2006