Labor Day 2020

 

Dear Friends

“Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night…” 

While most of us would welcome a little snow and rain right now, I am especially grateful on this Labor Day 2020, for those front line workers who, in the midst of the heat and gloom of fires and a pandemic, continue to make sure I can find salad fixings at the grocery store or turn on my air conditioning or are ready and waiting should I need them in an emergency. 

I am especially grateful this year for so many other essential workers who are laboring on in spite of the conditions, from fellow clergy keeping the supply chain of Good News flowing, to teachers to garbage collectors and everyone else who I may take for granted but depend on every day.

Labor Day reminds me of a prayer from Compline, which includes this phrase: “Watch over those, both night and day, who work while others sleep, and grant that we may never forget that our common life depends upon each other’s toil…”

And Labor Day reminds me of these words by Henry Van Dyke, from Hymn 586:

Jesus thou divine Companion, by thy lowly human birth

Thou hast come to join the workers, burden bearers of the earth.

Thou, the carpenter of Nazareth, toiling for thy daily food,

By thy patience and thy courage, thou hast taught us toil is good.

 

Every task, however simple, set the soul that does it free;

Every deed of human kindness done in love is done to thee.

Jesus thou divine Companion, help us all to work our best;

Bless us in our daily labor, lead us to our Sabbath rest.

 

John