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From: 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12, 16-18

Avoiding Idleness. Earning One’s Living

[6] Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with
the tradition that you received from us. [7] For you yourselves know how you
ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, [8] we did not eat
any one’s bread without paying, but with toil and labor we worked night and day,
that might not burden any of you. [9] It was not because we have not that right,
but to give you in our conduct an example to imitate. [10] For even when we
were with you, we gave you this command: If any one will not work, let him not
eat. [11] For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busy bodies,
not doing any work. [12] Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord
Jesus Christ to do their work in quietness and to earn their own living.

Prayer and Farewell Wishes

[16] Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways.
The Lord be with you all.

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Commentary:

6. St. Paul wants to prevent the misconduct of some Christians spreading to
others; and at the same time he wants to help the transgressors to turn back —
which they may do if they are made to feel isolated. Excessive tolerance of ir-
regular behavior does nothing to encourage reform and only helps the spread of
permissiveness.

That was the Apostle’s usual policy: “I wrote to you in my letter not to associate
with immoral men; not at all meaning the immoral of this world, or the greedy and
robbers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But rather
I wrote to you not to associate with any one who bears the name of brother if he
is guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber” (1
Cor 5:10-11).

7-12. Some of the Thessalonians, wrongly thinking that the Parousia was about
to happen, had given up working and were living in idleness, minding everyone’s
business but their own. So the Apostle reminds them all that when he was
among them he worked to keep himself and was a burden on no one.

The Second Vatican Council underlines the value of work when it exhorts “Chris-
tians, as citizens of both cities, to perform their duties faithfully in the spirit of the
Gospel.” Far from neglecting earthly responsibilities, they should, as the Council
goes on, realize that by their faith they “are bound all the more to fulfill these re-
sponsibilities according to the vocation of each one (cf. 2 Thess 3:6-13; Eph 4:
28)” (”Gaudium Et Spes”, 43).

“For the love of God, for the love of souls, and to live up to our Christian vocation,
we must give good example. So as not to give scandal, or to provoke even the
faintest suspicion that the children of God are soft and useless, so as not to dis-
edify..., you must strive to show an example of balanced justice, to behave pro-
perly as responsible people. The farmer who ploughs his field while constantly
raising his heart to God, just as much as the carpenter, the blacksmith, the of-
fice worker, the academic—all Christians in fact—have to be an example for their
colleagues at work, and to be humble about it. Therefore, everyone, in his job, in
whatever place he has in society, must feel obliged to make his work God’s work,
sowing everywhere the peace and joy of the Lord” (St. J. Escriva, “Friends of
God”, 70).

16. “The Lord of peace”, or “the God of peace”, is a title found in a number of St.
Paul’s letters (cf. Rom 15:33; 2 Cor 13:11; Phil 4:9; 1 Thess 5;23), because Re-
demption, by wiping out sin, establishes people’s friendship with God and with
one another. The wish expressed by the Apostle here echoes the greeting Chris-
tians normal used with one another, a greeting our Lord himself recommended:
“Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house’ (Lk 10:5). The
Jews used and continue to use the same greeting—”Shalom” ( = peace). When
a Christian greets someone in this way it should be a sincere expression of his
love of God and love of others and not just mere polite well-wishing, hoping peo-
ple will “enjoy themselves”.

Referring to empty, selfish peace of that sort, our Lord said that he had come to
bring not peace but a sword (cf. Mt 10:34). He also warned us that the peace he
gives is not peace of the type the world gives (cf. Jn 14:27), but a peace which
comes from the Holy Spirit (cf. Gal 5:22) and which “passes all understanding”
(Phil 4:7). “It is useless to call for exterior calm if there is no calm in men’s con-
sciences, in the center of their souls” (St. J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 73).

We should therefore always be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the
bond of peace” (Eph 4;3). If we are, we will be builders of peace and will receive
the reward Christ promised when he proclaimed, “Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called sons of God” (Mt 5:9). In this connection Bl. John Paul II
said, “Peace is work we have to do; it calls for commitment and solidarity with
one another. But it is also (inseparably and above all) something in God’s gift:
we need to pray for it” (”Address”, 8 December 1978).

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.