Labor Day 2005 Ocala, FL        

On Thursday of this week, our Nation will celebrate Labor Day,-- a day set apart to honor labor! Unfortunately though, as with all our National Holidays, this Holiday has also eroded. We have changed, as we have all other Holidays, the significance of the Day, and most people have already made their plans for the long week-end to simply get away from it all. But, regardless of what people do, the Church will be true to her obligation to expound the true meaning and importance of this Day!

Christianity is the Religion of God's true and lasting revelation. As such, the Church deals directly with every facet of human life. As we well know, one of life's most important expressions or endeavors is work. Honest and honorable labor. The family head usually toils and utilizes his best, in order that he may better provide for his family.

The mother's role has radically changed since World War II, when the mothers went out to earn a living for their family. Unfortunately, even after World War II, mother's continued to work due to the increase, and demand for material things. It also seemed necessary to help the ever increasing family expenses. Thus, both the father and mother are working to make ends meet. Again, it is distressing, witnessing the increasing number of fathers separating themselves from the family. As a result we have the one parent family on the rise. This situation makes the mother 100% responsible to raise her children.

As regards to the children when they become of age, they join the labor force, but rarely contribute to the family, because of the need to keep up with the peer pressure --- to purchase an automobile, electronic equipment, and so many other things on an endless list, which keeps them busy trying to keep up with their payments.

Thus, the whole picture of the family has radically changed during the last two generations.

When we speak of work or labor, we tend to feel that it is something we have to do, because we have no alternative. Oftentimes, we may have an inward hope for some type of an alleviation. But, that is the reason, that we must accept our work in terms of its being our vocation, or let us say, calling!

No work is insignificant, regardless of how unimportant, or unimpressive it may appear. I agree, that work may be considered a routine job, --- one, which is simply taken for granted. In other words, we may be just another little cog in the wheel. However, take away this cog, small as it may be, and the largest wheel cannot function properly.

There is one thing, that so many people overlook. We speak of inequalities, and we are so eager to complain or justify our shortcomings. But, did we ever seriously consider, that we have every right, and every freedom to bring forth our God-given qualities and talents, such as dignity and self-respect, ---- virtues, which must be cultivated from within by disciplining our life, ---- by taking full command of it, and by using it as a motivating power. No one can strip us of these qualities.

Of primary importance then, is the need for the worker to have a sense of dignity, and a sense of calling in the work he or she performs. If a person is one of spirit, this will be reflected in his or her work, and this will bring contentment. However, sometimes you don't have to look far to see two people doing the same work, and, because of their diverse attitudes, they do not produce the same results.

I have on occasion heard people say, that they wake up in the morning begrudging the very thought of going to their job, because they literally hate it. If these people would only discipline themselves, and make even some minor adjustment in their thinking and attitude, their life would change dramatically, and their job would become a true vocation, or calling!

Changing our attitude can never be achieved, if we don't align ourselves with God's commandments! Our work should never be disassociated from our Christian mission. Christianity is not something we bring to fore, or practice on Sunday, and put it in storage for the rest of the week. Christianity is living --- it is life in itself. As in so many instances, St. Paul states in 1st Corinthians 10:31, "whatever you do, do all, to the glory of God."

I wonder though, how many people have ever thought, or tried to apply the Christian principles in their everyday life? I'm afraid that so many Christians are professional Christians, by having, let us say, a dual morality. The one morality they seek to enforce on the Lord's Day, when they go to Church, and hear the instruction, and the other morality is the personal code, which they have devised, of have acquired subconsciously or unconsciously.

Thus, so many Christians make the adjustments for any particular situation, using all possible means to accomplish their purpose.

If we took the time to read the New Testament, we would truly be surprised, as to the number of times work and dedication are mentioned by our Lord and His Apostles. In John 4:34 he Lord says: "My food is to do the will of Him, Who has sent Me, and to finish His work!"

What a different world we would have, if people used the Lord's phrase as their code in life! Moreover, if people would only learn to accept God as their fellow Worker in anything that they do, the results would be so gratifying.

You may remember the incident, when our Lord one morning met His Disciples just after they had pulled in to shore with their fishing boats, tired and dejected. He asked them to launch out into the deep and drop their nets. Peter replied: "Master, we have toiled all night and have taken nothing; nevertheless, complying with Your request, we shall let down the net."

As a result, they caught so many fish, that their net was in danger of ripping apart because of the heavy load. By themselves, the Apostles did nothing, but with the complying to the Lord's command they were stunned with the over-abundance.

In a parallel manner it happens in our life, that the Lord wants us to bring forth our God-given talents --- to give our very best, but somehow we resist, saying something like: "Master, I have tried. I really amount to nothing. My life makes no difference to anyone." This defeatist attitude is responsible for the countless failures in life.

Today, the work pendulum has swung to the opposite extreme from where it was, some decades ago. Most octogenarians can recall the working conditions of their time, --- the sweat shops ---- the hazardous and health-damaging working conditions --- the endless hours, and the meagerness of pay. But, there was no choice. Jobs oftentimes were at a premium, and people struggled for every opportunity to work.

Industry had its field-day, taking every advantage of the laborer. Gradually, over the past decades, through organization, labor commenced to gain in its position by bargaining, and thus conditions today are diametrically different than those of days gone by.

However, today's conditions, experience a great degree of apathy in labor, other than what can be considered normal, or healthy.

The maximum is expected, with the minimum effort invested. The "so what" and "who cares" attitude has transformed craftsmanship into simply producing things for the sake of production.

How often we ourselves say: "They just don't build them like they used to in the old days!" True, --- the assembly line has flooded the market with goods, and has boosted the economy, but it has taken its toll, and at great cost, because the pride and the love for work and achievement has been extracted from our work.

Regardless of what our personal attitude is, the moral code will never change. We must adjust to conform with it, and if this happens, as it should, the harvest is always so rich.

God blessed people with a mind, with strength and vigor to labor justly. He expects all to apply the moral code in everything we do, and of course in our work. He reminds all, regarding the virtues of honor and industriousness. He wants all to work honorably, so that all may be worthy of their remuneration. For the conscientious laborer there are usually rewards, whether in the form of a raise, security, distinction, or promotion. But, even if one does not receive these, there is the internal satisfaction, that the work was honorably done, and the labor was worth every penny of the remuneration.

Precisely, this is where Christian living comes into play, because it takes a superior individual to overlook the fact that due honor was denied him, or her. Here is where we can apply the verse in Ecclesiastes 2:10 of the Old Testament: "My heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil."

There is no question, but that relations of management and labor are frequently strained, simply because the worker will not produce what is rightfully expected, and equally, management often seeks to gain

advantages over the laborer. If both these forces, labor and management applied the principles of Christianity we would indeed be inhabiting a blessed world.

Quite a few years ago, I acquired a very striking and powerful lithographed poster, portraying Christ as tall as the U.N. building. It shows him knocking on the building, but apparently no one is answering. We know well, that if the Lord was ever permitted to enter, the world's problems would very soon be solved.

I had this print in my New York Parish office, and it evoked so many favorable comments, as well as the regrets of the ineffectiveness of this world Body to control the world, even in the least of conflicts.

I think that a similar portrait of the Lord could be painted, showing Him knocking at the heart of every Christian, and at the heart of management and labor. The question would be: "Are we interested in opening the door of our heart and work to have the Lord enter, or, do we just let Him keep on knocking.

+ Fr. George Papadeas