Labor Day is a holiday in my country, a day off. It’s also day to reflect on issues affecting work and workers. Labor Day can be traced back to when our world was agricultural rather than industrial. In many Christian societies, it was a day when people gave thanks for the crops they harvested and prayed for continued blessings. “Prosper the work of our hands, Lord, prosper the work of our hands.”
Labor Day can be traced to the rogation days in the Christian calendar, when people gathered in their church and went in procession through their fields thanking God for his gifts of the earth and asking God’s blessing for the future. Their procession was a walk of appreciation. As they walked through their fields people saw creation as good.
In a gospel suggested for today, Jesus tells us
“Do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” (Matthew 6:311-36)
Each day has its worries, but worrying about tomorrow stops us from appreciating today, Jesus tells us. Worrying about tomorrow can stop us from living today.
That’s not to say we should not reflect on society’s social ills. Labor Day is also a time to call out against poor labor conditions, abusive labor conditions, lack of opportunities for good, meaningful work. There’s the threat that comes now from Artificial Intelligence. How will that impact workers?
Still, Labor Day calls us to take an appreciative walk through our own wheat fields, through the place where we are, looking at the work we do, appreciating the work others do for us. It’s a holiday.
The Victor's Place 
Happy Labor Day, Fr Victor. Thank you for this reflection. You are among the most fruitful of the laborers. Thank you for that. Harry
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May they be guided by the grace and wisdom of the Holy Spirit to speak for them and for generations to come.
My niece works for NY State Nursing Association as “Ombudsperson” on behalf of nurses when their union contracts are renewed. Right now in pandemic times a difficult job as these health care givers must perform under stressful circumstances. May those who tend to the sick be supported by our prayer, just wages and positive working conditions.
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Dear Father Victor, may we also remember the many volunteers who give of themselves and their time, every day and during times of disaster and need. May God bless these tireless and faithful workers.
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People like your niece have an important role in our future.
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We all have some work. It could be prayer, or waiting, or encouraging…
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Dear Father Victor, “…or waiting..,” another powerful thought you share with us that I never considered. Thank you for helping our Lord make our journeys grace-filled and the waiting worth it. Be assured of my prayers for you.
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Pray for continued blessings. “Prosper the work of our hands, Lord, prosper the work of our hands.”
I am invited to pray, even in ordinary or extraordinary tasks, serious work or daily household work, to bless the activity,
Often those words are prayed when my husband is trying to fix something around the house. Our DVD player was not working. He took the thing apart(after he viwed a YouTube),spread out the pieces, took off the belt. etc. I supervised, praying all the peices would get back together again. They did after an hour of scrutiny. As Mother Teresa said, “I am only a pencil in God’s hand. It is God who writes.”
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