Labor Day Is A Holy Day

Today is the 119th Labor Day, a Holy Day “dedicated to the works and economic achievements of American workers”, according to the U. S. Department of Labor. It’s the only Holy Day, a day defined as “a day of recreation when no work is done”, created by and for the working people of our USA.

Over the many years I’ve “spent” rather than honored Labor Day in a wide variety of ways; some of those ways are likely to be similar to those in your memory bank. Yet, as I sit here this Holy Day, I’m realizing that I have given very little time and thought to actually honoring and celebrating Labor – my own and that of others. There is much to write and to do about honoring and celebrating labor and laborers in today’s environment, but I don’t intend to go there.

Instead, as a believer that small changes can make a positive difference, I intend to start a new “work practice”. I plan to begin today. I think it’s really quite an easy practice, now that I’ve paused long enough to think about it. I invite you to join me. It’s do-able 24/7 and can be done entirely outside church walls. So, here goes.

I’ll start by saying to you. . .Thank You, Every Reader, for the work you do. Your work is making (our neighborhoods, our communities, our world) a better place for all of us. On this day I honor you and wish you a holy day of recreation.

Next, I want to think about each of my own neighbors and pledge to make a special effort to thank them for the work they do to make my neighborhood and my community a better place to live. I want to let them know that I honor and value their work and its contribution to our community’s well-being.

There. That’s it for this small start.

In this time of individualistic thinking, I’m wondering if, through this simple practice of sincerely thanking one another for our work, we might begin to re-new our understanding of belonging in community. Could we come to really experience ourselves as linked together, contributors and beneficiaries, working along side each other, with and for each other for our common good? Even when “along side” can be half way around the world? Even when “along side” can be your neighbors who are yearning to a find way and place for their skills to be of use.

There is valuable work for us to be doing on behalf of work and workers through-out the world.

We can honor Labor Day and its purpose by making a start with our neighbors. “Thank you for the work you do. Your work is important to me, and you are making the world a better place for all of us.”

MaryAnn