If women are more relational in orientation, men are more functional.  This does not mean that men don't need intimacy in key relationships, because they do, nor that women are not productive, but simply that men experience a strong motivation to shape and form the world and be of influence, through their labors.  With the entrance of sin into the world, God said, "By the sweat of your face [and] toil, you shall eat the plants of the field" (Genesis 3:17,19).  Thus labor can be strenuous and difficult, still, in its essence it is a blessed gift from God: even before the Fall, we see labor as a natural good: "God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to till it and keep it" (Genesis 2:15).  Work was part of God's original design for humanity; it is the way God provides for our sustenance: God gave man "dominion . . . over the wild animals of the earth," and said, "See I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food" (Genesis 1:26,29).
     Men can focus on a task with intensity (sometimes to the point of being clueless about people around them).  While women are gifted with the ability to engage several activities at once (e.g., change a diaper while finishing the laundry, talking on the telephone, keeping an eye on a son playing tinker toys, and preparing lunch), men are more compartmentalized.  Generally, we attack one project at a time.  This enables man to channel his energies towards achieving a particular goal.  The productive activity of man is aimed at serving the common good of society.  It is a reflection of Divine Providence, whereby our Heavenly  Father provides for all our basic needs (e.g., food, shelter, clothing, security), and leads us to happiness in a meaningful life.  When men go through a mid-life crisis, one big question asked is, "What is the significance of all my labors; what have they accomplished?"  Usually what follows after this difficult period, for the true Christian anyway, is a deeper abandonment to the will of God, and that is a holy disposition.  We all please God, even in our secular work, when we simply do it to the best of our abilities, for the welfare of our families, and for the greater glory of God.  We are called to sanctify the workplace: that is, to make it a place of virtue, whereby God's presence is revealed through our patience, dedication, honesty, generosity, and charity towards coworkers.  Men and women have a high calling in the adventure of labor, namely to be Christ for others as we serve the common good.  I encourage all workers to pray regularly to St. Joseph, whose feast day is March 19^th , but whose witness of labor is celebrated on May 1^st, the feast entitled, "St. Joseph the Worker."  He is especially a wonderful model for men, as he is also the patron saint of fathers, and of a happy death.

     Fr. Michael