Brothers and Sisters,

Tomorrow is Monday, and so to work!

Reading the Gospel and comparing the men who worked for twelve hours with those who worked but one hour, it is easy to come to the conclusion that the second group was better off, since all the workers were given the same payment.

This is a manifestation of today’s view of human work.  Most of us started thinking of work as a curse rather than as a great blessing, since we know that God called us to work — to “tame the earth” and “rule over” the animals.  Work is that part of our calling that God gives for our growth and development.  When we do honest work, no matter what it is, we are developing ourselves, we are building character.

When I first came to the USA, I learned that during the Great Depression, men would gather in the morning on certain street corners in hope of obtaining employment as day laborers.  They did everything they could to be chosen, arriving with all their tools, rushing to meet those who were hiring, and presenting themselves as hard workers.  Being without work for one day meant catastrophe.  If they weren’t picked by dawn, they were filled with anxiety that their family, and in particular their children, would go to bed hungry and malnourished.

Thinking of the people who exerted so much hard work so that our church and parish community could exist and develop, all of us ought to be motivated to roll up our sleeves and continue building up our Heavenly Kingdom while here on earth. Today, I thank all who take it upon themselves to work for the Kingdom of Heaven.  Thank you, catechists, teachers, volunteers and everyone involved in the development of our parish community!  And I thank you, my dear parishioners, for your donations without which we would not be able to hire workers for the Lord’s harvest.

Your Priest,

Fr. Paul