For over a century, Americans have
celebrated Labor Day on the first Monday in September. This national holiday
was established in the 1880s for two reasons: to mark the irreplaceable role of
the American worker in making this country prosperous and strong; and to have
time to attend speeches and events on the spiritual and educational aspects of
work, the worker and the good that comes from work.
Likely, not many of our contemporaries
will be focusing on the spiritual meaning of work today, they simply see today’s
civic holiday as a celebration of not having to work.
In 1981, Pope
John Paul II issued an encyclical titled “Laborem Exercens”—On Human
Labor. Laborem Exercens is just one
encyclical in the long line of Catholic Social Teaching by our Popes in modern
times, of which Pope Francis’, “Laudato Sii” is the most recent Social
encyclical.
John Paul wrote
that Human work is a fundamental dimension of man’s existence on earth. In the very first words of the book of
Genesis, our Creator tells man to “be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth
and subdue it.” Through work, we earn
our daily bread, and are able to provide for ourselves and our loved ones.
Work is not
merely a necessary evil. St. John Paul said, “Work is a good thing
for man-a good thing for his humanity-because through work man not only transforms
nature, adapting it to his own needs, but he also achieves fulfilment as a
human being and indeed, in a sense, becomes "more a human being".”
The saintly
Pope recognizes here that without God man loses his way, falling into sin,
misusing the things of earth, abusing his fellow man, evil causes us to be less
human, sin dehumanizes us. But when our
priorities are straight, when we are in right relationship with God, when we
work to glorify God, then we regain and develop our authentic selves—we become
more human.
Becoming more
human requires work. Being human, being
good to each other, being virtuous, building a just society, fulfilling our
religious obligations to God requires work.
Three years
ago on Labor Day weekend I had the great honor of celebrating the Wedding of my
little sister. The day before the
wedding, a parishioner came into the office and said, “Father, you look happy,” she said. “Well, I should be,” I said, “tomorrow I get
to celebrate the wedding of my beautiful and dear sister Ashley.”
“That’s
wonderful, Father,“ she said. “My
husband and I got married 46 years ago on Labor Day weekend, too! And that’s what it’s been, Father. 46 years of Hard Labor! But Father, I love him more today, than on
the day I married him”
I told that
little story at my sister’s wedding on Saturday, and tried to emphasize that
important lesson: that holy, healthy, happy marriage takes work—it’s a real
effort—a labor of love.
Perhaps, we
do well today to recognize some areas in our life where we have grown slothful,
where have I failed to labor for the good of my soul, the good of my fellow man,
my family.
May this
Labor Day be a time of rest for workers, but also a time of reflection, that
workers can ensure that their priorities are in check, that they are serving
God rather than themselves, that they are setting good Christian example to
their fellow workers in their speech and in their deeds. May all of our workers be strengthened in
Spirit this day, for the Glory of God and Salvation of souls. +++
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