Labor Day 2024 - Vocation to work (Laudato Si)

 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.

The orations and scripture readings we use today are from the votive Mass for the Blessing of Human Labor.

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. Holy Father Pope Francis has touched upon the topic in a number of his writings.

In his encyclical Laudato Si, Pope Francis writes, “We were created with a vocation to work. The goal should not be that technological progress increasingly replace human work, for this would be detrimental to humanity. Work is a necessity, part of the meaning of life on this earth, a path to growth, human development and personal fulfilment…We need to remember that men and women have “the capacity to improve their lot, to further their moral growth and to develop their spiritual endowments”. Work should be the setting for this rich personal growth, where many aspects of life enter into play: creativity, planning for the future, developing our talents, living out our values, relating to others, giving glory to God.”

Becoming the people God made us to be involves work, often hard work. This includes the work of our profession, but also, the other efforts that each of us are called to make in cultivating our families, neighborhoods, communities, and parish. The work of spreading the Gospel especially, along with the works of charity—the corporal works and spiritual works of mercy—involves cultivating all those different gifts and talents with which God has blessed us.

So we mustn’t bury our talents, our hide our lights under bushel baskets out of fear or laziness. As Saint John Paul II taught, “by enduring the toil of work in union with Christ crucified for us, man in a way collaborates with the Son of God for the redemption of humanity”.

May this Labor Day be a day of rest for workers, but also a day of blessing in which we all consider how God is calling us to more fruitful work, in which come to discover the many ways God has blessed us in order to be a blessing for others, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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That all Christians will work together in harmony for the building up of the Church and the spread of the Gospel

That our young people, especially those at risk of disengaging from society, may come to discover the fulfillment found in work and self-sacrifice.

For the unemployed and underemployed, and that all who work may receive a just reward for their labors.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, those who have supported us by their work, those who fought and died for our freedom, for all of the souls in purgatory and for X, for whom this mass is offered.

Gracious Father, you created us in your divine image, hear our prayers, and grant us the help we need to work always for your Holy Will, through Christ Our Lord.