Labor Day

Lectio Divina

Continuing to meditate on the Sunday Scripture readings:

Now therefore, Israel, hear the statutes and ordinances I am teaching you to observe, that you may live.

Deuternonomy 4:1

From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts.

Mark 7:21

Library

Continuing Resurrection and Priscilla and Aquila. Continuing to study the Spanish textbook. The Franciscan pamphlets, too.

Log

Happy Labor Day to all, with prayers of thanksgiving and gratitude for the working women and men of yesterday who risked everything to organize labor unions and worker organizations. Their courage and sacrifices for the common good have given many of today's workers fair wages and hours, unemployment insurance, health care benefits, workplace safety regulations and workers' compensation, and pensions and retirement benefits. Pray for today's low-wage workers who suffer persecution from their employers for attempting to exercise the right to organize and engage in collective bargaining for good wages and decent working conditions. Pray for the conversion of unjust employers who treat workers like property and punish those who dare to organize. Pray also for the conversion of political leaders who forget the dignity of labor and have made it harder for the working poor, which is most people but especially women, immigrants, and people of color, to live decently.

When you get a chance, please read this year's Labor Day statement of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Then, take action to support workers' rights, establish more democratic workplaces, and build a just economy -- a fraternal economy. In my opinion, getting involved in Interfaith Worker Justice is a great way to bring the values of faith to bear on the economic crisis of our times.

Make no mistake: the economic crisis is at heart a spiritual crisis. The relationship between workers and employers is broken and must be healed and transformed. A new kind of economic order must take the place of the old. To act differently, we must also think differently, and to think differently we must believe differently. Only faith in values that transcend the ideals that generated our flawed economy can redeem it from current sinful structures and practices.

This morning, continuing to study discernment in class sessions. This afternoon: some recreational walking/jogging and some studying. This evening, a barbecue with the brothers.

Weather

Mild and nearly cool. Bright and calm for a couple of days now.