PRESENT WEEK'S GLIMPSE OF GOD

Glimpse of God for the week of September 7, 2026……..Laboring in Love

Happy Labor Day Weekend. May it be safe, happy, relaxing, and celebratory as you gather with all those you love and hold near and dear to you.  Cherish those times that you celebrate with family and friends and be mindful of all the labors of love that you have participated in, been the recipient of and have freely performed. May all your conversations, and shared heartfelt wishes, be a glimpse of God’s never-failing love, grace, hope and presence. May it be an opportunity to recognize of the many hidden blessings that come out of hiding, graces that expound, joy that refreshes and peace that permeates the core of your very being, from your head to your toes, and brings you refreshment, renewal, and strength.  May the memories of the quality time spent in the presence and company of your family and friends as you celebrate the ending of summer and the upcoming of autumn, be a source of energy, encouragement, renewal, strength, hope and support. May the end of summer remind you of how blessed you are and how much of a gift you are to others, and they are to you.  In your celebration of Labor Day 2026, try not to focus on the feeling of discouragement or sadness that you may have felt this past year, or may be feeling now6due to financial or family stresses, illness, or mental or physical weariness. Take the opportunity to focus on the courage that God gave and continues to give you, to face and carry your crosses and how you became victorious over, and not a victim to, their weight, effects or temptations.

My prayer for you this Labor Day 2026 is that you are able to recognize and recall the numerous labors of love this past year that came forth from your compassion and concern for others and their concern and love for you. Look at the many random acts of kindness, extensions of love, compassion, forgiveness, quality family time, and the growth of genuine concern and caring for the stranger that continue to emerge be it from covid or the reality that we need each other, and no one is an island.

As you reflect on the significance of this weekend and the gift of labor, take a moment to thank God for the many graces that He has bestowed upon you as you labored in the light of His love: in the light of your hard work as a parent, on the graces received as you raised your family and gave of yourself, your energy, though probably often depleted yet never selfishly held onto, your attention, your discipline, your wisdom, your insight, your tough love and your tender love and care. In the light of your hard work as an employee, coworker, mentor and how you were blessed with so many gifts and talents especially of your attention and reliability, look at how you gave of yourself out of selfless love for the good and growth of others so that they could grow up and become their best self, the person that God created them to be and have the potential to become. As you live and love as a consecrated religious, member of the clergy, single, married, or retired, can you recognize that it is in your many labors of love that have allowed you to grow and become the mature person that you are today.

In the light of your love as you offered your talents and gifts to your family, children, siblings, grandchildren, employers, coworkers, friends, member of your religious community, neighbors, church members and even the stranger, can you see God’s presence, His graces, and blessings?

Let the memories of those who have gone before you, the gift of their hard work , many countless labors of love, and their work ethic be a source of strength for you as you take a break to celebrate the gift of your labor. 

Labor Day means so much more than labor or work.  It is how we labor that makes this day so much more meaningful.  How we labor in love, with love, in love and out of love, for our God, self and others is what makes Labor Day a day to celebrate and remember verses just thinking that it is just another holiday that makes for a long weekend. As we celebrate this Labor Day with picnics, going to the shore, or BBQ’s at home, amongst family, friends, or neighbors, it doesn’t really matter what we do or where we go or who we celebrate with, what matters is what are we celebrating and why is it important.  For many the gift of Labor is about the job that they do so that they can provide for themselves and their family.  

The gift of labor is truly a gift especially as we reflect on the effects of what is going on in our world, and how people are not only unable to find meaningful labor so that they use their God givens talents and abilities, but also are limited to how they can reach out in their labors of love, but not unable to reach out in the greatest labor of love, and that is prayer and compassion, love and concern for their fellow neighbor and those far off. 

Some people think that they alone are responsible for their work, and they fail to see that their gifts and talents are from God and that their identity does not lie in their work, but rather in their status as God’s beloved children, loved unconditionally and beyond measure. We are His greatest creation. Our labor, our giving of self, our recognition of the work and talent of others is what can make their Labor Day weekend and everyday a memorable gift, a glimpse of God to celebrate, rejoice in and thank God for. Do we labor out of obligation, or to gain attention and accolades or just to get a paycheck? Could it be that there is a deeper reason, one that speaks of service, giving of self for the good of others, out of gratitude to God so that we can be our best self by sharing the gifts and talents that we have been so blessed with? So, as you reflect on Labor Day 2026, will you take time to celebrate the gift of your life and the love of those you love and have been a coworker with you as you strive to build up the kingdom of God here on earth?  Isn’t that the best labor of love that you can participate in here on earth? One brick, one step, one prayer, one act of kindness, one word of mercy, one word of contrition, one labor of love, a time…

Yes, students return to school, the crazy and hazy rainy days of summer will soon be behind us, but as you look in the rearview mirror at the summer of 2026 can you see, do you recognize, how you have been participating in the great labor of love? It is because of your compassion, selflessness, extending yourself to help make the days of time spent all about quality time. It is because of your presence before your God and with those that surrounded you, all of God’s beloved sons and daughters, that they can recognize how they too are reflections of His presence and beacons of His love.  It is because of your faith that you can be an instrument of God’s peace in a world that is divided and in discord. Do you see how you have labored in love by the way that you cared for an elderly parent, visited a widowed neighbor, encouraged a lonely friend, called someone who may have been feeling discouraged and depressed and suffering from mental illness, forgave an estranged sibling or family member, how you helped raise your grandchildren, remained in contact and encouraged your nieces and nephews, were present to the members of your religious community and parish community? Do you see your labor of love by the time spent time in prayer, placing the needs of others before your own, your sincere and humble contrition before your God and your extension of mercy and peace where there is injury and hurt? Your labors of love are the very blessings that have come back to you.  As you have labored in the love of mercy, you have become merciful. As you have labored in the love of empathy, you have become more compassionate. As you have labored in the love of healing, you have become more whole and a wounded healer. As you have labored in the love of offering peace, you have become a peacemaker. As you have labored in the love of silence, you have become a lover of humility. As you have labored in the love of tough love, you have become more sympathetic and supportive. As you have labored in the love of thoughtfulness, you have become more selfless and less selfish. As you have labored in the love of prayer, you have become a better and deeper pray-er; and as you have labored in the love of spreading the Gospel, you have become a visible witness of your faith and the presence of Christ in your life.

May your Labor Day weekend remind you that it is not the work or lack of work that makes this Labor Day special, or a cause to celebrate, as much as it is the measure of love that you use as you strive to be your best self, live up to your potential as God’s beloved child, and help others to do the same. 

LABOR DAY 2026 PRAYER:

Make each day your prayer of gratitude as you recognize God’s great love for you, as His laborer of love in the whole of creation.

May you, as God’s LABORER of Love…….

(Sunday) “L” - Live with joy, Love always, and Laugh often. 

(Monday) “A”- Because God Adores you, Abides, within you and Abounds from you.

(Tuesday) “B” – Believe that you are Blessed, Brave, Beloved and Beautiful in God’s eyes, although broken or discouraged at times,   NEVER

(Wednesday) “0” – Overcome by despair, destroyed by diversity, or defeated by self-doubt.

BUT

(Thursday) “R” – Renewed and replenished in the grace and by the strength of GOD. 

SO

(Friday) “E” - so that you can embrace the cross of Christ with humility, openness, surrender, peace and joy, (Saturday) “R” – resolving to show love, empathy, and understanding when looking in the face of hatred, prejudice, indifference, and hostility.