Fr. Nate's Letter - September 1, 2024

As we observe Labor Day this weekend, it seems an appropriate time to recall a reflection that someone lent me some time ago. The subject of the reflection itself was not about work, but the chapter on work struck me the most. The reflection noted that in ancient Rome, regardless of how they went about it (which might be another topic), work was generally viewed as a way to accomplish something. You and I know of the different aqueducts and ancient Roman roads, and that some of the structures and buildings that they erected still stand in the present day. What the ancient Romans accomplished is certainly impressive. Ancient Greece culture, on the other hand, looked upon work as a necessary evil of sorts, as the ideal was to spend one’s life in leisure, contemplating and philosophizing. 

For God’s people, however, there was a very different approach. Work was about more than accomplishing something, and not just something to be avoided. Their work was viewed as something they could offer back to God. After creating the universe, God commanded man to care for and cultivate the Garden - to work. Work, it seems, should almost be something in our blood. This approach of offering up work was always somewhat foreign to the surrounding cultures. 

I remember in my limited experience in the “working world” - and I’m sure many of us have probably had that experience or feel the same way - of so many people who dread Monday. My co-workers were fairly happy on Friday, but with some folks on Monday you might not even bother saying “Good Morning,” because it only seemed to make their day that much worse. I remember one fellow kept on his desk a sticker that read “I love Mondays!” If we were to think back to our school days, most of us probably looked forward to Friday much more than Monday. But as I saw this play out each week, life for many people became an endless chore, and apart from vacation, work was definitely a necessary evil to be endured. 
So it seems that ancient Rome’s perspective is still very much a part of the picture pertaining to work today. It is certainly fulfilling to look back and see that we have accomplished something. When we look at the ancient Greek’s view, however, one might argue that maybe we’ve gone too far the other way - that for some there is no leisure and work has become master of our lives. We need leisure as well - after all God rested on the seventh day. But the real question comes to be, do we see our work as something that we can offer back to God? And if so, do we actually offer it? If I do, and when I do, my work takes on infinite value. 

As I’m sure you know, one of the titles given by the Church to St. Joseph is “Model of Workers.” Here in the basilica, he’s depicted at the side altar with one of the tools of his trade. St. Therese has a nice reflection on St. Joseph in his shop - she wonders to herself how many times St. Joseph, in the course of his work, must have had to deal with difficult people. People making complaints, people being less than kind, people refusing to pay or unable to pay. Taking that one step further, would he have experienced a shortage of supplies, slowness of another in accomplishing a task so he was unable to accomplish his own tasks (we do call St. Joseph the “Mirror of Patience”), and probably helping with the chores around the house at the end of the day. It can sound very similar to our own day. And isn’t it true that we could say that St. Joseph did his work as an act of love, an offering to God. 

On this Labor Day weekend, we thank God for the opportunity of leisure we experience on this day. But we also thank him for the gift of work - work done not only to sustain ourselves and our families, but to accomplish something.   This is also a day to take the opportunity to offer something back to God in gratitude for all that he has given us.

It is would be important to add a special word of thanks to all who devotedly work here at the basilica in many different capacities, keeping us up and running each day. We are grateful for all they do!

Wishing you a happy Labor Day Weekend, and all God’s blessings this week! Keeping you in prayer, and say one for me!

- Fr. Nate