In this episode of the The Ordered Life Podcast, we return to Laborem Exercens to ask a question many people feel but rarely articulate: what is work actually for?

In a world shaped by automation, artificial intelligence, and a growing obsession with comfort and efficiency, it’s easy to reduce work to income, or to see it as nothing more than necessary toil. But the Catholic tradition offers a far richer vision. Drawing on the thought of St. John Paul II, we explore how work is not only a means of providing for material needs, but a profound expression of human dignity, participation in creation, and a contributor to the moral and cultural development of society.

We also wrestle with one of the defining tensions of modern life: Is technology serving the human person or quietly replacing him? When does innovation elevate human labor, and when does it diminish it? From historical examples of automation to today’s AI revolution, this conversation challenges listeners to think clearly about the relationship between productivity, virtue, and the human soul.

Ultimately, this episode reframes work as an arena for growth rather than mere comfort. The Christian worldview does not see difficulty and effort as evils to be eliminated at all costs, but as opportunities for virtue, meaning, and freedom. If you’ve ever felt restless, burned out, or uncertain about the purpose of your work, this episode invites you to step back—and recover a more ordered vision of labor, technology, and the good life.