"Speak for your servant is listening."
I Samuel 3:10b
"Above all, we must get to church early
in order to 'tidy up' inwardly.
We must have no illusions about our condition when
we enter the church; we must frankly face our
restlessness, confusion, disorder. To be exact,
we do not yet really exist as persons - at least not as
persons God can address, expecting a fitting response.
We are bundles of feelings, fancies, thoughts,
and plans all at cross-purposes with each other.
The first thing to do, then, is to quiet and
collect ourselves. We must be able to say honestly:
Now I am here. I have only one thing to do - participate
with my whole being in the only thing that counts,
the sacred celebration. I am entirely ready."
Romano Guardini
Preparing Yourself for Mass
(A Must Read! Make it your September book!)
__________________________
Most merciful Father, thank you for this day of work with all its achievements as well as its burdens. Thank you for all the successes, the challenges, and even the difficulties that it brought to me. Your Son once said to His Apostles, "Come by yourselves to an out-of-the-way place and rest a little." Thank you for this gift of rest. May this time be a chance for me to renew my gratitude for all your blessings. In your great compassion and generosity, please be mindful of those who are out of work. And help me to do a better job tomorrow. I ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
LABOR DAY
American and Canadian Federal Holiday
First Monday in September
"Work is not only good in the sense that it is useful or
something to enjoy; it is also good as being something worthy,
that is to say, something that corresponds to man's dignity,
that expresses this dignity and increases it. ...
Work is a good thing for man - a good thing for his humanity
- because through work man not only transforms nature,
adapting it to his own needs, but he also achieves fulfillment
as a human being and indeed in a sense becomes
'more a human being.'"- St JP II, Laborem Exercens #9
Prayer after Work by Fr. Peter John Cameron, o.p.
From Blessing Prayers
© Magnificat – Used with permission.
Most merciful Father, thank you for this day of work with all its achievements as well as its burdens. Thank you for all the successes, the challenges, and even the difficulties that it brought to me. Your Son once said to His Apostles, "Come by yourselves to an out-of-the-way place and rest a little." Thank you for this gift of rest. May this time be a chance for me to renew my gratitude for all your blessings. In your great compassion and generosity, please be mindful of those who are out of work. And help me to do a better job tomorrow. I ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
St Joseph, patron of the Worker, pray for us!
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