A Labor of Love
The month of September is upon us. Labor Day is here and we associate it with the end of summer and the start of another year with a more routine schedule for ourselves and our families. Children are back to school, vacations are pretty much over and the usual occupations that take most of our time become more obvious.
The liturgical feasts for the first two weeks of September bring Mary before us on three occasions. On September 8 we celebrate the Birth of Mary; on September 12 we celebrate the Holy Name of Mary and on September 15 we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. In addition, on September 8 the Cuban faithful of our Diocese honor Mary under her title as Our Lady of Charity, Nuestra Senora de Caridad de Cobre. This is significant as Our Lady of Charity is the patroness of Cuba.
The beginning of September and Labor Day are a good opportunity to reflect upon the dignity of our labor and occupation in life, whatever that may be. From being a parent, a teacher, a lawyer, a farm worker, a nurse, a sales associate, whether our labor be considered "white collar" or "blue collar," our occupation and daily activities in life are part of the building of God's Kingdom and have a significant place in God's plan.
We usually associate labor with the life of St. Joseph and rightly so. He is the foster father of Christ and his work as a carpenter supported Mary and Jesus in their home at Nazareth. We celebrate the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1, almost before the beginning of the summer when vacations and the changes in the pace of our labor patterns begin to occur. Perhaps it is fitting that we look to Mary after Labor Day when the return to routine is more prevalent, as Mary truly was a worker. There can be no question that her labor was one of love!
Let's take a closer look at the daily occupation of Mary from what has been given to us in the Scriptures. First we meet her in the Gospel of St. Luke when the angel, Gabriel, appears to her to announce that she is to be the Mother of the Lord. St. Luke does not tell us what she is doing, but we get the impression that she is attentive to it. Mary was a woman close to God and she found God in what was before her. Whether it was as simple or as complex as a task could be, Mary found God in it. Being absorbed in what appears to be some simple activity, Mary is quite surprised at the angel's appearance. She does not expect it but she redirects her attention to it to hear what God wants to say to her in this extraordinary event. When the angel tells her his message, she does not understand it but she gives her consent to doing what God asked of her. Fearful and hesitant, Mary’s love for God is evident in her response, “Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word" (Lk 1:38).
The Annunciation sets the context for all of the other encounters we have with Mary in the Scriptures. From the Birth of Jesus at Bethlehem, the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, the finding of Jesus in the Temple, to Mary’s presence at the foot of the Cross and the Cenacle for the coming of the Holy Spirit, Mary is absorbed in what she is doing out of love for God. She listens to Him and loves Him in whatever occupation and activity is before her.
A very good example of her attentive and loving attitude is found as we encounter her in the Gospel of St. John at the Wedding Feast of Cana where she is the instrument of Christ’s first miracle. She is paying attention to everything in love. She notices that the newly married couple will be embarrassed because there is no more wine at the feast. Not only would they be embarrassed, but the celebration would be lessened for everyone. Jesus, Himself, appears not to have noticed this and it is Mary's loving concern that brings this to His attention. When He is reluctant to do anything about it, she is not only attentive to the matter but persistent in her labor of love. She tells a waiter to act in the manner in which she lived, “Do whatever he tells you" (Jn 2:5). At these attentive, loving and persistent words, Jesus performs His first miracle. This may not have been the most dramatic occasion for what becomes an extraordinary event, but Mary’s attentiveness to what was before her and her persistence in love made it so.
As we begin the month of September and as Labor Day focuses us on the daily occupations that are before us, the Church focuses our attention on Mary. Mary does set an example of finding God in what is before us and in the activities we daily carry out. She shows us that God is always present and can always be trusted. This attitude brings us a greater peace in what we do and helps us to appreciate more the importance of what we are involved in as well as the importance of the labors of others. Mary brings us to her Son who reassures us, "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for yourselves" (Mt 11:29).
Mary’s example of her labor of love is indeed one that can bring meaning and purpose to all we do!
Most Reverend Gerald M. Barbarito
