Each One Will Receive His Wages According to His Labor
Each One Will Receive His Wages According to His Labor
Sacred labor, which is for God, has its reward from God. To the extent that a person toils in this field, to that extent he is rewarded. The Lord said to the angel of the church in Ephesus: “I know your works, your labor, and your patience” (Rev 2:2).
And He said in His Sermon on the Mount: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matt 7:13–14).
And Scripture says: “If indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Rom 8:17).
And Scripture says: “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). “If indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Rom 8:17).
And Saint Paul the Apostle says: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor 4:17).
However, not every labor has its blessing; there is futile labor.
Such as the labor of Satan and his helpers in seducing people and causing their fall. And such as every labor in pursuing sin: like the labor of a thief who uses his methods to enter houses whose doors are closed, steals their money, and leaves without anyone noticing him. And like adulterers who toil to obtain their lusts! It is futile labor, like the labor of those who seek honor, and like the labor of the rich man who said: “I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul… ‘Rest, eat, drink, and be merry.’ But God said to him: ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’” (Luke 12:18–20).
Among futile labor is labor without knowledge, as Peter the Apostle said: “We have toiled all night and caught nothing” (Luke 5:5).
As for sacred labor, it is of various kinds, including labor in service, labor in the narrow way, labor in endurance, labor in worship, and other matters.
Labor in Service
Among its examples is the labor of Paul the Apostle, who labored more than all the apostles and said: “In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often” (2 Cor 11:23). He explained various kinds of these labors and the dangers he faced in service and preaching, saying: “In journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren” (2 Cor 11:26).
And he said about his service and the service of his fellow workers: “In all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings” (2 Cor 6:4–5). “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken… always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus” (2 Cor 4:8–10).
If these are the labors of Saint Paul and his companions in service, there are labors even greater, namely the sufferings of the martyrs and confessors, and the tortures they endured for the sake of their steadfastness in faith. Therefore, the Church places them at the forefront of the saints.
From our side, we should also speak about the fathers, the bishops and priests, and what they ought to exert of labor in service.
Here I recall that on one occasion, at the ordination of two bishops, I said to them: “Before us are two paths in service, with no third. Either we toil so that the people may rest, or we rest and the people toil. And I have called you to toil.”
It is not permissible, therefore, for a man of the priesthood to suffice with serving the liturgies and vespers and then rest while neglecting the people! Rather, he must toil in visitation, in teaching, and in solving people’s problems. Families have complained to me saying: “Years have passed over us without a single priest entering our home!!” This is undoubtedly painful and shameful. Does such a priest forget the Lord’s saying to His disciples: “I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain” (John 15:16)? Where then is this fruit in service?!
In the labor of service, let every shepherd place before him the saying of the Didascalia: “Let him care for everyone so that he may save him.” And let him also place before him the Lord’s rebuke of the shepherds who feed themselves and do not feed the flock, as the Lord said in the book of the prophet Ezekiel, chapter 34: “My flock became prey,” and His saying: “I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down… I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick” (Ezek 34:8, 15, 16). Also let everyone remember the message of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory, when He said: “To preach the gospel to the poor… to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound” (Isa 61:1). He has sent you to do His work and to walk in the footsteps of His ways.
Thus, in the labor of service, the priest father must know the addresses of all his flock and visit them, as the Lord said about His sheep: “I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life… and no one shall snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27–28).
The priest must also love his people and share with them their feelings, as Scripture says: “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Rom 12:15).
He must work to give rest to everyone, as the Lord said: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28).
The labor of service is also the duty of Sunday School servants and youth servants.
Scripture mentions “those who labor in the word and doctrine” (1 Tim 5:17), whether priests or teachers of religion. At the very least, labor in preparing the word, rather than speaking any words at random. Likewise, labor in preparing teaching aids, in visiting all absentees and bringing them back, and in being keen on the growth of those served in their spiritual lives.
The labor of service also includes parents in raising their children with a spiritual upbringing, not only caring for them materially in terms of food, clothing, and education, as I observe with many, but also guiding them spiritually.
The labor of service is the duty of all believers, as the apostle thanks his flock for the labor of their love (1 Thess 1:3).
Labor in Worship
I mean in fasting, prayer, vigils, readings, perseverance in these things, and prolonging standing before God, without hastening in prayer or hymns so that they appear without understanding or depth.
Also labor in works of repentance, as David the prophet said: “I am weary with my groaning; all night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with my tears” (Ps 6:6), “I have mingled my drink with tears.”
Likewise, labor in paying tithes, vows, firstfruits, and every portion of God from your money, and giving with joy, with generosity, and even from want.
But let the labor in worship be with joy.
Labor of the Narrow Way
The wide way is easy, but the wise keep away from it.
It is easy to cover a sin with a lie or false justifications. But the narrow way is to confess the fault and offer an apology, not excuses!!
The wide way contains unlawful gain and bribery, hypocrisy and flattery, gaining praise, manipulation and deceit. But the one who walks in the narrow way rejects all this and is content with labor.
And the one who believes in the narrow way rejects unlawful marriage, just as he rejects divorce for any reason. He also rejects grumbling and complaint.
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