Labour Pains

A Reflection on the Second Reading for February 27th, 2022:
Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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1 Corinthians
15.54-58

Brothers and sisters: When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.
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 “... [I]n the Lord your labour is not in vain.”

Running a household of nine can be labour intensive to say the least. Sometimes my labour can indeed seem in vain. It feels like five minutes after I empty the dishwasher, it’s full again. Or I can spend twenty minutes organising the tupperware drawer only to find it in chaos the next time I open it. It’s hard not to feel exasperated, and that leads me to exhaustion. 

One day while doing the dishes and grumbling under my breath about not feeling appreciated, I said to myself, “Do it because you love them and don’t complain.” But even when I do this, somehow I still hold it against my family. I want to be self-sacrificing but still my heart wants recognition. Then I heard the Lord say, “Do it for Me.” Immediately, my heart softened. “What wouldn’t I do for You, Lord,” I thought. 

When I dedicate my work to God, even the most mundane tasks become joyful. My labour is not in vain because it brings me closer to Him and helps me to appreciate His sacrifice a little more. My primary vocation is to my family. It’s a job that has been given to me by God. When I labour because He has asked me to, it helps me grow in holiness. Every dish washed and toilet scrubbed is a labour of love for He who sacrificed everything for me.

“Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.”

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Maxine Brown
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