Why diligence and work is important – A Photo Report about Bees

The are many reasons why diligence and work are of benefit to us. For one, work gives us the opportunity to… show God, ourselves and others that we are sincere in our desire to strive for perfection. Action gives weight to our words and intentions. It is also a means to be of service to others through sacrifical labor, fashioning work into an act of love. Moreover, when we are working, our mind is necessarily occupied with the task at hand, leaving less room for temptations and  for the whisperings of the devil, whereas the idle mind is indeed the “devil’s workshop”. Idleness and sloth are the source of many evils, whereas work and diligence are tools that assist in our salvation.

Care must be taken, however, that work does not become an end in itself — an idol, one might say. Our labors may lead to wealth, fame and power, which may lead us away from God if they become the the main goal of our efforts. These labors must lead to the one true goal: the love of God and our own deification in His image and likeness.

In this photo, we find a double image of diligence: the labor of the bees that produce the honey and that of the monks who gather it.

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