TOO MUCH WORK FOR TOO LITTLE TIME

Saturday in the 4th Week of the Ordinary Time
Mk 6:30-34

We often hear it said, “There is just too much work to do.” We ourselves say often, “I have very little time for so many tasks.” But will there really be enough time for all the work we have to do? Will there really be work that is enough for the time we have?

We can only do so much with whatever time we have. Realizing and accepting this fact is the beginning of having much work done. Denying it leaves nothing done or done quite unsatisfactorily.

In the matter of our work for God, we must never forget that it is also a work with God. After doing our best, we must submit to the grace of God at work in everything and everyone. Let God be in control because He knows what He is doing better than we know what we are trying to accomplish. Jaime Cardinal Sin, of blessed memory, would often say: “Work as if everything depends on you, but pray as if everything depends on God.”

So long as we give it our best, our work is worth the time we have and our time is worth the work we do for the Lord and with the Lord. Just give it our best always. God will do the rest. After all, we are not to save the world. It has already been saved, in the first place. By Jesus, not by us.

Let us not be disheartened to the point of misery when we fail after we have done our best. We must always move on. While no one can do as best as we do what we can do, what we cannot do Jesus can do better. There will always be imperfect situations, imperfect people, imperfect ways, imperfect steps, and imperfect time. We, ourselves, are imperfect, are we not? If we are perfect living in a perfect world, then we are already in heaven. But we are not; thus, we are imperfect and are in need of a Savior. Jesus is that Savior, no one else.

In the midst of too much work with too little time, we must learn the art of resting. We need to rest so that we may work better. Quite often, we miss the point: what Jesus wants is not that we work more but that we work better. He is not after what we can do but how we do it. Quality is always inferior with quantity for the Lord. Resting better always helps us to work better, and, yes, even to work more.

But for us to rest when rest is needed despite too much work yet to be done requires trusting the Lord. Let us work for Jesus. Let us work with Jesus. Let us rest in Jesus.