Recently, Christian Direction organised a workshop in partnership with Transform Quebec, and Convergence Quebec, titled, The Work of God and Our Work. Over 40 participants took a deep look at the work of God to reconcile and renew all things, and how this brings our work into spiritual focus. We discussed how the problems we face in the world today actually stem from a fundamental lack of good work, from work that exploits, excludes, endetes, or abuses.
We are called to reorient our work as a common grace for the common good of people. Doing “good” work requires this same stubborn hope, for we are doing nothing less than engaging a broken world with a heavenly one. This is the essence of our witness–the proclamation of God's realm and God’s ways through all of God’s People, in all of our Vocations.
All of this requires a greater vision of the Gospel (good news) as God’s care and commitment for all of creation, but especially people who are invited into the redemptive work of God. Food security is good news for those without it. Help with homework is good news for a struggling student. Learning French is good news for a newly arrived family in Quebec. Jesus made it very clear to his disciples, whenever they were caring for others in need, they were serving him also (“whatever you have done for the least of these, you have done for me,” Matthew 25:31-36).
We recently witnessed a beautiful example of this Gospel at work in our Connections program. This high-school completion program offers a chance to complete high school for students who, for various reasons, are not able to study in a traditional school setting. This special community of hope celebrated the end of their year, and said a bittersweet goodbye to the coordinator of Connections, Khrystelle.
The students prepared a touching video, and performed a special dramatisation in honour of Khrystelle. Each student paid tribute to Khrystelle’s dedication to them, but also noted her moral and spiritual leadership for them. “Stubborn hope” looks like a community of “uniquely abled” young adults, who find a safe and supportive environment everyday where they can come as they are, and be supported in achieving their academic and personal goals.