Time Well Spent

Through an interesting quirk of the Cycle C readings, our Church has some extremely interesting thoughts for us this Labor Day weekend: Sirach 3: 17-18, 20, 28-29; Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24; our Gospel reading from Luke 14:1, 7-14 with the Responsorial Psalm taken from Psalm 68:  “God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor”.  

No matter how we spend our time . . . in the workplace, retirement, in our home with children, following a profession, doing a skilled trade.  It doesn’t matter.  Labor is labor.  Work is work.  Time well spent, is what we all hope for, I suspect.  To do so with humility and still be able to reach out to care for the lost, the lame, and the least.  That does seem to be something of the message this week.  

What a challenge we are reminded of in this week’s Gospel as many of us do enjoy this long weekend.  We do have an obligation to walk humbly and serve the least, but the reward will be great.  The reward will be repaid at the time of resurrection of the righteous.  A powerful message, but am I the only one who struggles to keep that in sight in the throes of my everyday battles with deadlines, bills, employee controversies, a spouse who picks the darndest times to be upset about the craziest things, new regs that require implementation, an unforeseen appliance that demands replacement just as we are going on a quick getaway with a car that is making a strange hacking noise?  A computer in a car can have a hairball?!  And why is the condo fee going up?  And wait!  Why didn’t I know ahead of time that corporate was going to be in office during my vacation window?  

The peace I receive from the Mass and the readings really do settle all of the issues of my week.  I hope they can help yours as well.  Please!  Grab a Bible.  Find a quiet corner.  Read this week’s readings again and you will gain perspective.  Have a very safe and a bit of a restful Labor Day Weekend.  Blessings to all of you!

Today's Readings