Responsibility-to be able to give an answer to God-is a sign of human dignity: only the free person can be responsible, choosing at each moment, among multiple possibilities, the one that is more in conformity with the divine will and, therefore, with his own perfection.
The responsibility of a person who lives in the midst of the world must refer, in large part, to his professional work, with which he gives glory to God, serves society, obtains the means necessary for the support of his own family and carries out his personal apostolate. In a catechesis during his short pontificate, John Paul I recounted what happened to a man of prestige, a professor at the University of Bologna. One afternoon the Minister of Education called him and, after speaking with him, invited him to stay one more day in Rome. The professor replied: "I can't, I have a class at the University tomorrow, and the students are waiting for me". The minister replied: "I will excuse you". And the professor: "You can excuse me, but I will not excuse myself". He was undoubtedly a responsible man, who did not limit himself to complying and giving as few classes as possible. He was one of those, the Pontiff commented, who could say: "To teach Latin to John, it is not enough to know Latin, but it is necessary to know and love John". And also: "the lesson is worth as much as the preparation". Probably he was a man who loved his work very much. How many times will we also have to say "I do not dispense myself"..., even if circumstances dispense us!
The sense of responsibility will lead the Christian to build a solid professional prestige if he is still studying or training in his profession, to keep it if he is in the full exercise of his profession, and to fulfill and exceed in these tasks. This is equally true for the mother of a family, for the professor, for the clerk or for the sales clerk. "When your will falters before the usual work, remember once again that consideration: "study, work, is an essential part of my path. Professional discredit - a consequence of laziness - would annul or make impossible my work as a Christian. I need - this is God's will - the ascendancy of professional prestige, to attract and help others".
"-Do not doubt it: if you abandon your task, you are removing yourself - and others - from the divine plans!".