The recent observance of Labor Day marks for many the end of summer and, therefore, a return to work and to school. For some, the return to routine is welcome. For younger students, there is an excitement about returning to school. For many teenagers, though, a few more weeks of summer vacation would be welcome. Nevertheless, September has arrived and, as the new academic year begins and the work routine resumes, we have an opportunity to reflect on the sacred significance of learning as well as the spiritual meaning of work, and how both enable us to encounter God.
The Sacred Significance of Learning
The 20th century witnessed a marvelous growth of schools, along with the increased opportunity for people of all races and of every social status to receive a solid education. In more recent decades, the attainment of a college education became a reality for more and more young people. As people became more educated, more opportunities opened to them. It must be noted as well that a number of people who became highly successful because of their educational opportunities, also wished to make similar opportunities available to underprivileged young people. Generous endowments and scholarships have given hope to numerous young men and women. In turn, these contribute to the improvement of society.
Yet, it must never be forgotten that education is an opportunity to encounter the sacred. The Second Vatican Council, in Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, noted: "The intellectual nature of man finds at last its perfection, as it should, in wisdom, which gently draws the human mind to look for and to love what is true and good. Filled with wisdom man is led through visible realities to those which cannot be seen" (no. 15). When young minds are opened to the wonders of our world, and come to realize that God is the Creator of all, learning and study become more significant, more prayerful, and more aptly focused on the Divine.
For these reasons, we again acknowledge the high value of our parish elementary schools and of our Archdiocesan secondary schools. Through Catholic education, children, youth and young adults have a quality education in the arts and sciences, and this education remains linked to the deeper knowledge of God and the student's personal encounter with Jesus.
Since my arrival in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, I have taken great delight in my visits to our schools. These visits are always made memorable by the exuberant spirit of the students, the dedication of the faculty, the leadership of the administration, and the commitment of our priests and religious. I am extremely proud of our schools and reiterate my personal commitment, and that of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, to ensure that Catholic education be made available and that our Catholic schools remain a vibrant presence in the five-county area.
The Spiritual Meaning of Work
Our observance of Labor Day is a national acknowledgment of the daily contributions of the work force to the well-being, economic health and common good of our country. From the beginning, work was intended not only as a means of productivity, but also as a means of sharing in the creative work of God. "God blessed them, saying: 'Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all living things that move on the earth" (Gn 1:28). However, the difficulties associated with labor also were viewed as a drudgery and a punishment: "Cursed be the ground because of you! In toil shall you eat its yield all the days of your life… By the sweat of your face shall you get bread to eat, until you return to the ground, from which you were taken; For you are dirt and to dirt you shall return" (Gn 3: 17,19).
Throughout history, the sad plight of laborers, particularly those who struggled to survive intense poverty, certainly enabled them to view work as a drudgery. In the 19th century, with the advancement of industrialization, workers became even more exploited and the Church sought to intervene in order to ensure their rights and protect their dignity. Rerum Novarum, the 1891 landmark encyclical of Pope Leo XIII On The Condition of the Working Classes, identified the lamentable situation in which workers found themselves and their families. "In any case we clearly see, and on this there is general agreement," wrote Pope Leo XIII, "that some opportune remedy must be found quickly for the misery and wretchedness pressing so unjustly on the majority of the working class…. Hence, by degrees it has come to pass that working men have been surrendered, isolated and helpless, to the hardheartedness of employers and the greed of unchecked competition" (no. 2).
The social teaching, so magnificently enunciated by Pope Leo XIII, resounded throughout the industrial world. The Church, with a clear prophetic voice, announced to the modern age that the dignity of man was being compromised by the desire for capital. The lot of the worker was deplorable and the wealth of those capitalizing on the oppression of the poor was scandalous. The message of Pope Leo XIII was recalled by Pope Pius XI (Quadragesimo Anno, 1931), by Pope Paul VI (Octogesima Adveniens, 1971), and by Pope John Paul II (Laborem Exercens, 1981 and Centesimus Annus, 1991), for as the world and its technology continued to progress, the dignity of the worker, the need for a just wage, and the volatile economy of so much of the world still need to be supported, protected and monitored.
The dignity of the worker flows from the human dignity bestowed by God. An integral aspect of human dignity is the ability of the worker to share in the creative power of God. Through skilled labor of all sorts, civilization has grown, culture has been enhanced, society has been strengthened, and the common good is secured. So much good flows from the work of human beings that this naturally must have its origin in God. The gradual recognition of the great good which work achieves makes human labor more attractive and rewarding. In the understanding that work is a call from God, the human person is able to channel his or her labor into an offering to God, an act of worship, a prayer.