Labor Day Weekend

This weekend, we will be celebrating Labor Day. It is often seen as the last hurrah of summer and the beginning of fall. The holiday is sometimes dubbed the “working man’s holiday” because it was begun by the labor movement in the 1880’s. One of the interesting facts is that in Iowa it is against the law to begin school until after Labor Day, unless you get a dispensation from the state. I think that almost every school district has a dispensation now.

Many people take the opportunity on this weekend to do the last vacation, or the last big cookout of the summer, although this year these may be less. Still others take this long weekend as an opportunity to do some work on the house or yard. Whatever we do on this long weekend I would encourage everyone to take a few minutes to thank God for the many gifts that we have received.

We could also take some time to pray for those who do those jobs that we do not want to do. Another thing that we can do is to take some time to pray for those who want to be working and either do not have a job or do not have a job that they would like to have. Especially in this time in which many people are out of work because of COVID. There is a great fear in many people these days, whether it be someone who is out of a job and is worried about their livelihoods, or those who are currently working and fear that they may catch the disease. There are many businesses that have also suffered and with them, the people who work there, or those who were laid off. There are also many businesses that are looking for people, depending on your skill set.

Saint Paul reminds us to do the work that we have to do without complaining and do it with joy. Each of us has a passion to do something in life, and one of the most satisfying things is to be able to work at something we love. I have heard the phrase, if you work at something that you love, you will never work a day in your life. I know in my own case, this is where God wants me to be at this time, here at St. Luke’s.

Being able to hear where God is calling us to be can make our labors joyful, even if they are hard work. I know that this is the case with many of our staff here at the parish and school as well. We work for less financial compensation than in the secular world, but the other benefits are out of this world. So as we are in this long weekend, remember that it is great to have some time off, but it is also great to be able to get paid doing something you love. Enjoy the long weekend and remember to pray each and every day.

Fr. Ken