Haggai 1:15 - 2:9 / Luke 9:18-22
There is this rather serious question, but the answer is rather funny. The question is: How to avoid getting stressed at work? The answer: Don't go to work.
Whether we find that funny or not, work is serious business. That's where we get our livelihood, that's where we do something meaningful, that's where we keep ourselves busy and occupied and find fulfillment.
So whether work is stressful or not, it depends on how we take it. But one thing for sure is that work is hard.
There is something about work in the 1st reading and it is given as a short and sharp command: To work!
Through the prophet Haggai, God is telling His people to get down to work. What work? It was the work of rebuilding the Temple.
And it was going to be real hard work to rebuild the Temple that was going to be more glorious than the former Temple.
And God wanted the Temple to be rebuilt, and He was going to supply the people all the gold and silver and whatever that was necessary.
So why the urgency then? The Lord of hosts speaks: The new glory of this Temple is going to surpass the old, and in this place I will give peace.
So the Temple was going to be a symbol and a channel of peace for the people. But they must work for it.
So too, whatever our work is, whatever we are working for, wherever we are working, let us also work hard for peace.
To work for peace is the meaning and fulfillment of our lives. And the Lord will give us whatever we need to achieve that. So let us get down to it and work hard for peace.