A Labor Day Meditation on the Spirituality of Work

A Labor Day Meditationon theSpirituality of Work as manifested in the Ministry of Everyday Life& Catholic Social Teaching

Human beings, created in the image of God . . . share by their WORK in the activity of the Creator . . . On Human Labor ~ Pope John Paul II

. . . in a sense Human Beings continue to develop the activity of the Creator —and perfect it. On Human Labor ~ Pope John Paul II

The knowledge that by means of WORKhumanity shares in the work of creation . . . . . . constitutes the most profound motivefor undertaking it in various sectors. On Human Labor ~ Pope John Paul II

By our labor we are unfolding the Creator’s work and contributing to the realization of God’s plan on earth. On Human Labor ~ Pope John Paul II

He belongs to the ‘working world ’ The eloquence of the life of Christ is unequivocal . . . He has appreciation and respect for human work. On Human Labor ~ Pope John Paul II

It can indeed be said that ‘He looks with love upon human work’ and the different forms that it takes . . . On Human Labor ~ Pope John Paul II

. . . seeing in each one of these forms a particular facet of humanity’s likeness with God, the Creator. On Human Labor ~ Pope John Paul II

In this way the WORLD will be permeated by the spirit of Christ . . . and more effectively achieve its purpose . . . in Justice, Charity and Peace. On Human Labor ~ Pope John Paul II

Through work we not only transform the world, we are transformed ourselves. On Human Labor ~ Pope John Paul II

For when people work, they not only alter things and society, they develop themselves as well. They learn much, they cultivate their resources, they go outside of themselves and beyond themselves. On The Church in the Modern World ~ Vatican II

People are more precious for what they are than for what they have. Rightly understood, this kind of growth is of greater value than any external riches which can be garnered. On Human Labor ~ Pope John Paul II

. . . either because of miserable working conditions and long hours — especially in the poorer regions of the world . . . It should not be forgotten that even in our own day work is very oppressive for many people, The Lord’s Day ~ Pope John Paul II

. . . or because of the persistence in economically more developed societies of too many cases of injustice and exploitation. The Lord’s Day ~ Pope John Paul II

“Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God's creation.” “The economy must serve people, not the other way around.” . . . we are therefore reminded of The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers a key theme of Catholic Social Teaching : Excerpts from Sharing Catholic Social Teaching ~ U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops

“If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected.” • “the right to productive work • to decent and fair wages • to organize and join unions • to private property • and to economic initiative.” Excerpts from Sharing Catholic Social Teaching ~ U.S Conference of Catholic Bishops

and we share in the building of the future of all those who will come after us. We inherit the work of the generations before us, Mother and Teacher ~ Pope John Paul II

Awareness that humanity's work is a participationin God's activity ought to permeateeven the most ordinaryeveryday activities. On Human Labor ~ Pope John Paul II

The shopping mall, the school, the kitchen table, the courtroom, the factory, and the office can be altars of sorts . . . . . . places where the mundane labors of life may be offered up, blessed, and transformed into things of beauty and holiness. From Sprituality@Work by G. F.Pierce

God is —in a sense — at the point of my pen, my pick, my paintbrush, my needle . . . . . . and my heart and my thought. It is by carrying to completion the stroke, the line, the stitch I am working on . . . . . . that I shall lay hold on the ultimate end towards which my will at its deepest levels tends. Hymn of the Universe ~ Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

The Christian finds in human WORKa small part of the Cross of Christ . . . . . . and accepts it in the same spirit of redemption in which Christ accepted His Cross for us. On Human Labor ~ Pope John Paul II

In WORK, thanks to the light that penetrates us from the Resurrection of Christ, we always find a glimmer of new life . . . On Human Labor ~ Pope John Paul II

. . . an announcement of ‘the new heavens and the new earth’ in which humanity and the world participate precisely through the toil that goes with WORK. On Human Labor ~ Pope John Paul II

May the goodness of the Lord be upon us, And give success to the WORK of our hands. Psalm 90:17

AMEN

A Labor Day Meditation on the Spirituality of Work