Br. Elijah Dubek, O.P., on Labor Day and Work

"The very first 'Labor Day' was celebrated on September 5, 1882. While today the holiday is characterized by barbecues, the start of a new school year, and the end of the summer, it began as a fruit of the labor movement during the height of the Industrial Revolution. At that time, there was no '40-hour week,' but six, or even seven, twelve-hour days of work each week. In the 1880s this new holiday for workers was recognized by successive states' legislation until it became a federal holiday in 1894. One hundred twenty-five years later, banks, non-essential government offices, schools, and many businesses still take Labor Day as a no-work day. While we enjoy our relaxation, though, do we still reflect on the purpose of such a day? 

"Ninety-nine years after that first Labor Day, John Paul II promulgated his encyclical on human work, called Laborem Exercens. While the pope comments on the changes in society and labor since the mid-19th century, he seeks to emphasize an enduring truth about man and his work. . . . In our time, flooded with ideas of materialism, it is all too easy to evaluate work merely on the objective, productive side, and to forget the humanity of the agent who provides the work without which there would be no product. In this humanity, all of us are equal."

In a recent commentary, Brother Elijah Dubek, O.P., reflected on Labor Day and the role of work in our lives.

To access Br. Elijah's' complete post, please visit: 

Dominicana: Labor Day (2 SEP 19)