Disability and spiritual work

Life in Christ: Catechism #2427
Human work proceeds directly from persons created in the image of God and called to prolong the work of creation by subduing the earth, both with and for one another. ... Work honors the Creator's gifts and the talents received from him. It can also be redemptive. ... Work can be a means of sanctification and a way of animating earthly realities with the Spirit of Christ.

I spent some time in prayer over this passage this morning - hence the late posting. I was also catching up on some work.

I'm fortunate enough that I can work with my disability. Many people are not. There are barriers to employment and education that exist even though some people with disabilities want to and could work. (I am not discussing those who do not choose to work or cannot work because of their disability, but those who want to and are prevented from doing so.)

It can be difficult when a barrier exists not to give up hope of obtaining gainful employment. Sometimes it feels as though we are being undervalued, underpaid and overlooked.

So what can we do when that happens? I can tell you right now, that the best antidote might be to create your own job. If necessary, volunteer, do what you can to pick something that has meaning to you. It may lead to a job - or not. But it is still work - in the spiritual sense. Try not to be disheartened if you earn less - or nothing- if you work in the service of others because the spiritual work any of us do is worth more than temporal work.

Having said that, I despise the fact that we are still struggling to take our place in the workforce with equal pay, free of discrimination in all the forms that takes, access to services which we need to work productively and access to equipment.

So let's work toward a future where those of us with disabilities take our equal place in society in the work force.

In the meantime, let us not neglect our spiritual work here or waste our time and talents. There's much to be done.