The Ironic Holiday - Ora et Labora
Labor Day has always struck me as the most ironic of holidays. Recognized by our Federal Government since 1894, Labor Days call upon the citizens of the United States to celebrate the dignity and value of hard work by joining together to NOT do any work at all!
This is all a bit tongue-in-cheek, but imagine a world in which birthday celebrations were organized to deliberately ignore the person who was born on a particular day. Or picture a Memorial Day parade dedicated solely to looking toward the future. Or imagine if Christmas Day were devoted to commerce rather than focusing on God’s greatest gift to us — wait a minute! Maybe Labor Day gets the silver medal as an “ironic holiday.”
I’m delighted that North American culture observes the end of summer with this long weekend. It’s a good rhythm. I’m even more delighted that we have a “Labor Day” holiday as part of our social fabric. Work is a great gift from God. Through work we lean into the creative facet of the Image of God. Work provides us with meaning, purpose, dignity, and creative satisfaction.
As a person who works in the mostly invisible world of spiritual transformation, I get incredible joy when things move, shift, and grow in the Spirit. However, I also take equal pleasure in the speedier, more ostensible results that are achieved through flowers newly planted, a wall freshly painted, some nicely mown grass.
The rhythm that God laid down in creation is a six-to-one pattern of work and rest. We are called to start with one day of Sabbath rest and then respond with the best work our hands and minds can muster. Sabbath is an essential part of our worship of God. Working hard is an equally essential part of worship of God and a doorway into knowing God’s heart, nature, and character. He is Creator, capital “C.” Because we bear God’s image, we are “creators,” lower case “c.”
While the Labor Day holiday has been a work-honoring part of our culture for the past 150 years, there is an ancient turn of phrase from the early days of Christianity which sums up the Bible’s six-to-one pattern beautifully: Ora et Labora. A simple translation of these three profound words: “Work and pray.” I once saw these words tattooed on the wrists of a gentleman. Ora on the right wrist, Labora on the left. I smiled to myself. One doesn’t see much historic Latin ink these days.
Tattooing ancient words on the body is one thing; living them out is quite another. I can think of no better way to sum up the ministry of Jesus Christ himself: he prayed to the Father and perfectly did the work of the Father. Work and pray. Ora et Labora.
I wish you and yours a good, long, unironic weekend of both!
Grace and Peace,
- Pastor Gregg