No matter our task
Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who built it. (Psalms 127)
The Lord will never build our house, if we do not labor at all. Moreover, if we do not invite him in our work, our efforts will be vain; the house will lack solidity and will collapse when the rain, the torrents and the winds of life burst against it. Our first concern must be to invite the Lord to join us and help us in whatever we do.
Those who fail to do so - and unfortunately, they are numerous - are also the first ones to wonder: “How it is that God does not intervene to prevent difficulties and the terrible disasters and catastrophes in this world?” The question, formulated in this way, has no meaning and will never find an answer, because God is never “elsewhere”! Since God invested in man a “breath of divinity” we are never separated from him, and he is not separated from us. It would be better to ask: “Why does God cause these things to a part of himself?” Although this question remains unanswered, it gives us at least the comfort of knowing that we are never alone in our afflictions and tribulations.
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in his triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. (2 Corinthians 2:14)
Any divine mission has the same value.
Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his labor. (1 Corinthians 3:8)
As we work together to serve God, it would be ridiculous to envy our co-workers. We are not experts in what others are doing, and others are not more experts in what we do. Only important is the intention and quality of our deeds, and the faithfulness with which we are conducting it. God himself acts in us, to produce both to the will and to work for his good pleasure. No matter the task! Small or large, we just have to work it out with fear and trembling to complete our salvation and that of the world. (Philippians 2:13)
Certain men became famous in History by contributing, directly or indirectly, to make the world more human. However, their actions do not have more values, in the eyes of God, than those of these millions of simple and unknown people whose works have never drawn the attention of anybody, and which History ignores. God calls the one that suits him. And the tasks he entrusts to each other they also remain his. A particular mission is never less rewarding than another is. Only matters the purity of our intentions and the capacity received from God to fulfill the mission. He who understands this will heal quickly from jealousy and this stupid habit of comparing with others.
To open our eyes on this habit of confusing “to appear” with “to be” Jesus quotes an example of one of these rich men always dressed in expensive and refined clothes whose life was every day feasts and pleasures. Respected on earth as member of the high society, he finds himself in the afterlife in a place of torment where he represents nothing more. From there he perceives, among the most distinguished members of Paradise, Lazarus the poor wretch who lay on earth at his gate, and he simply ignored. What a shock! (cf. Luke 16:19-31)
What is the point to be known, famous and admired on earth just to be in the world to come an unknown useless? Many will see perhaps their parents they ignored and despised on earth because of their piety as celebrities surrounded by a crowd of angels. And why? Because on earth, they simply invited God to help them to fulfill their mission. They believed: These things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven - things into which angels long to look. (1 Peter 1:12).