Do you find it amazing that here we are, once again, at Labor Day weekend. As I have heard so many say, “where did this summer go…?” It is so true that this time of year seems to be very much a time about beginnings and endings. Labor Day is, of course, a sort of unofficial end of summer and those with camps, especially in the more northern parts of our country, will be busy sorting out things as the summer season comes to a close. Parents and grandparents also are thinking about beginnings, as children and young people prepare to begin or to return to school or college (and, of course, many have already gone!). Our prayers go out to all our students, as they begin the new academic year. Given the events in Minneapolis during the week, we pray especially for all those so deeply affected by the latest gun attack at a school.
The origins of Labor Day can be found in the Labor Movement and the cause for just and fair employment, especially in the nineteenth century. The first official Labor Day occurred in 1882 in New York City when Peter J. McGuire, the founder of the carpenters’ union suggested an annual day for workers when they could meet to discuss conditions of work and air any grievances. Eventually, the day became a recognized national holiday.
From a religious perspective, Labor Day is a time when we can reflect on work and how we are God’s “co-workers” in bringing about His Kingdom. It is a great time of the year to do this, as we do indeed experience all those new beginnings and endings in our family life. Did you notice by the way that the original Labor Day was proposed by a carpenter…how appropriate! From our Christian perspective, work is never just “work”: it can also be a means of growing as a spiritual person, as we seek to offer what we do to God and use our gifts and talents for others.
Work is also about our stewardship of creation and of realizing how God can take what we do and bless it. That is why we use the prayers at the preparation of the bread and wine at Mass: “blessed are You, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received this bread we offer You, fruit of the earth and work of human hands…” Even the word “liturgy” comes from the word for “work” and a number of psalms celebrate the “marvelous works” that God has done. Given the situation in our country and the world in general, a great task or labor for us would be to be instruments of God’s healing, peace and reconciliation. Pope Leo XIV has stressed this mission or task many times in the first few months of his pontificate. The prayer for the Mass suggested for Labor Day puts all this so well:
O God, who through human labor,
never cease to perfect and govern the vast work of creation,
listen to the supplication of your people and grant that all men and women
may find work that befits their dignity,
joins them more closely to one another
and enables them to serve their neighbor.
Through Christ, our Lord.
Perhaps we can spend some time in prayer over this weekend and during the coming week, reflecting on the nature and importance of work to us as human beings, praying for those who cannot find work and thinking about how we can be the Lord’s disciples and co-workers at work, at school, at home and in our neighborhood. There are also plenty of things to read such as the US Bishops’ letter about work called Economic Justice for All, or a number of teachings from various Popes about work (you can read all of these on the Vatican website). Let us also remember the work or “labor” of the Order expressed in our motto : “Tuitio Fidei et Obsequium Pauperum”: working to nurture, witness and defend the Faith and for the care of the poor, the suffering and the sick.
Every prayer for you and your families, and a happy and blessed Labor Day weekend.
Very Rev. Msgr. Anthony M. Barratt, STL, PhD, ChM
