Liturgy and Labor

On Monday, we celebrate Labor Day, a day to honor the contributions of all workers, a day set aside to reflect on and to give thanks for work.  At St. Thomas, we will begin the day with Mass at 9:00.  It’s worth noting that the original meaning of liturgy is work. The word liturgy comes from the Greek word leitourgía, which can be broken down to two words: laos, meaning people, and ergon, meaning work. Liturgy literally means “work of the people.”  In ancient Greece, the word liturgy was used to mean any work that was done in service for the good of the people. So from the beginning, liturgy has been connected to service.

When we participate in the liturgy, we are doing work. We listen to the word of God and work to understand how God is calling us to act. In the midst of our worship, we process to the altar with the gifts of bread and wine--“work of human hands.” In this procession we also bring the gift of ourselves—our hopes and our dreams, our cares and our struggles to the altar. Our lives, along with the bread and wine, are transformed by the work of our praying in the Eucharistic Prayer. In that prayer, we hear action verbs such as offer, give thanks, remember and pray—all of which call us to the work of transforming not just ourselves, but the world. We conclude the liturgy with an admonition such as:  “Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord,” or “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.” We are sent forth to do our work in the world—bringing God’s presence to our families, workplaces and communities.

As we commemorate this Labor Day let us pray that all our work, inside and outside of the liturgy, serves the good of the people.  O Lord, prosper the work of our hands! Amen.