As a nation, this Monday we celebrate Labor Day. It is traditionally celebrated on the first Monday in September. On this day, we honor all those who labor for a living. We are encouraged to thank them for their service to their families and for their service to all those who benefit from their efforts. In addition, we can remember and pray for all those who are now retired after many years of labor, and for the unemployed and underemployed.
The Catholic Church focuses on the dignity of the human person, and the dignity of labor, since labor is clearly important to the human experience. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2427, 2428) states:
- “Human work proceeds directly from persons created in the image of God and called to prolong the work of creation.”
- “Work honors the Creator’s gifts and the talents received from him.”
- “In work, the person exercises and fulfills in part the potential inscribed in his nature. The primordial value of labor stems from man himself, its author and its beneficiary.”
- “Everyone should draw from work the means of providing for his life and that of his family, and of serving the human community.”
Our Holy Father Pope Leo, as previously noted, has a special concern for laborers. He worked among laborers for many years during his missionary work in Peru, understanding their concerns, understanding their challenges. He and his fellow Augustinian priests labored for the Lord as shepherds to the many people entrusted to their care, always encouraging them to focus on Christ.
Pope Leo also has a deep appreciation for the dignity of labor. In a recent address as reported by the media outlet “JERSEY CATHOLIC”, he stated, “At the center of any work dynamic there should be neither capital, nor market laws nor profit, but the person, the family and their well-being, to which everything else is functional.” In another recent address, he further noted, “Work must be a source of hope and life, allowing the expression of individual creativity and the capacity for good.”
The following prayer called “A Prayer for Rest and Renewal on Labor Day” from the media outlet “Prayerlit” asks for the blessing of the Lord on a laborer:
Dear Lord,
on this Labor Day, I seek Your peace and renewal.
Bless me with restful moments and the strength
to rejuvenate from the work I’ve done.
May this day be a time of refreshing and reflection,
where I recognize Your hand in my labor.
Help me to find joy and contentment in the fruits of my efforts
and to be grateful for the rest You provide.
Amen.
As we reflect on this prayer and as we celebrate Labor Day, we are encouraged to make it more than a day of rest and recreation. Our bishops remind us that it should also be a day of prayer, when we honor those who labor for a living, including those who labor in various ways for the Lord. They all deserve our respect and appreciation.