9/2/2013 – Labor Day – Monday of 22nd week in Ordinary Time – Psalm 90, 1 Thessalonians 4:1b-2, 9-12

     I am always interested in the history of things, so I looked up the history of Labor Day at the US Dept of Labor website yesterday.  Labor Day, always celebrated on the first Monday in September, was conceived by the labor movement in the US in the late 19^th century, as a day dedicated to the social and economic achievements of the American workers. It is an annual tribute to the contributions workers have made to the well-being of our country. The readings we used today are not the proper readings of the day in ordinary time, but rather ones suggested in the lectionary for the commemoration of Labor Day.

     Labor Day was first recognized by certain municipal governments in our country back in 1885 and 1886. Soon after, in 1891, Poe Leo 13^th issued the encyclical RERUM NOVARUM addressing the plight of the worker in the modern world.   That encyclical is considered the foundational document of Catholic Social Teaching that continues to this day.  Earlier this year, Pope Francis made the following comment that continues in the tradition of RERUM NOVARUM in addressing the worker in the world today: "Work is fundamental to the dignity of a person. . . . It gives one the ability to maintain oneself, one's family, to contribute to the growth of one's own nation."  Unfortunately, we know that economic conditions and working conditions in Tupelo and across our country and around the world are still very difficult in our world’s difficult economic times. Just last week, we saw a lot of fast food workers throughout the country speak out about their difficulty to earn a living and support their families. Millions of workers today are denied this honor and respect that Pope Francis talks about as a result of unemployment, underemployment, unjust wages, wage theft, abuse, and exploitation. There are not easy answers to either the global or the community economic problems.  However, on this Labor Day 2013, we hear the psalmist ask the Lord to bless the work of our hands, and we hear St Paul beseech the Thessalonians to have a spirit of mutual charity in the spirit of the love God has for us.  So, what we can do as individuals and as a Church is to renew our commitment to promote the dignity of the human person through work that is honorable, pays just wages, and recognizes the God-given dignity of the working person.  I would like to close this homily with a Prayer for Work that I found on our US Bishops’ website.

Prayer for Work

Creator God,

thank you for providing us

with the gift to share our talents.

Provide our community, our nation, our world

the fortitude to provide work for all

which is decent and fair.

Make us faithful stewards

    of your creation

    to enhance the human dignity

    of our global family.

We ask this in the name of Jesus,

who lives and reigns

with you and the Holy Spirit

now and forever.

Amen