May Day
Today is known as May Day. There has been already traditional celebration of May Day since pre-Christian time, which celebrates May Day as the end of uncomfortable winter. But May 1, is also known as International Labor Day. It was instituted in 1889. It celebrates the social and economic achievements of the international labor movement.
In 1955, Pope Pius XII established the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker to coincide with the International Labor Day. This gesture shows how the Church also values the basic rights of workers. In the Gospel we can see how, even during the time of Jesus and His Legal Father Joseph, there was the tendency to belittle manual labor. Initially impressed by Jesus’ eloquent and authoritative teaching the people later remarked: “Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter’s son?”
While the Communists define the value of labor in terms of political and economic considerations, the Church invites us to appreciate labor and work in terms of the following values:
VOCATION: Through labor and work, we give meaning to our existence. We realize that we are not just here to waste time and to occupy space. We have a unique role to play; we have contributions to make in the world.
SERVICE: Through our labor and work, we employ our talents and abilities not only to make a living, but to meet the need of others.
Nowadays, many people work in order to have better living. Ironically, many who work so hard but still complaining, “Ah..mahirap ang buhay.” And many people who enjoy luxury lives upon the suffering of others. I think we need to live these three values: SSS. Stewardship, Simplicity, and sharing.
Stewardship: an awareness that we do not own what we have. Our God is the Creator and he is the owner of everything. We, co-creators, are only given the responsibilities to develop, maintain, manage, it. We need to respect and accountable to our belongings and the world.
Stewardship will lead us to Simplicity. The awareness that everything we have do not belong to us and we are only the stewards of the Creator, will make us simple, because we will not focus on ourselves but God and others. We will not work hard only for the sake of ourselves. And lastly, simplicity will lead us to sharing. The simpler our life, the more we share with others. Sharing is the heart of Christianity: life given to others. Our world today really needs this spirit. Can we begin? I hope so.
