The Gift of Work

Labor Day.  In the USA, usually a time for that last fling over the weekend, irresistible sales, or a family barbecue.  Rain in New England certainly will put a damper on some of these plans, but the up side might be a little unexpected time to look back over the summer and review all the we accomplished, and what many surprises came our way. We might also look at the gift of work. When the first parents were expelled from the Garden of Eden, "work by the sweat of the brow" was one of the punishments for their disobedience.
Yet, what a blessing it is, not withstanding the beads of sweat nor the stress that are part of it.  It is a chance for us to share in the creative action of the Father "who made heaven and earth;" it is a chance to "be more human", as Blessed Pope John Paul II observed, for we use our minds, our physical strength, and our capacity to relate to others.  The inventions and methods for improving the quality of life over the years are the results of work, often hard work. We take so much for granted the electric light bulb, for example, forgetting the days and months of failure Thomas Edison experienced in developing it.  The buildings we live, work and worship in, we take for granted, but are the results of the work of others.
Labor conditions in many places are not ideal, so again the challenge remains to work for justice in the workplace.
Above all, we can and should give thanks to God for the ability to work, the think, to move our arms and hands.  So many people cannot do even that.  So whether by serving others by work or by waiting, let us give thanks to God and remain faithful to the tasks at hand.
Bro. Rene