As we celebrate Labor Day Weekend, we thank God for the gift of our work and the ability to build up community and society with our labor. We honor our labor by taking rest, and by entering SABBATH. SABBATH is the holy rest we are all called to as Children of God. God took a SABBATH on the seventh day as He completed the work of creation. As we honor our work, we too must honor the need for rest. We are called to keep the SABBATH holy. We do so by finding time for rest and recreation and to be renewed in our connections and relationships with one another. As we honor our work this Labor Day weekend, may we truly hold SABBATH so God may continue to bring fruit to the work of our hands. Have a blessed Labor Day weekend everyone!

Every year as the summer ends, we BEGIN AGAIN a new school year as well as a new year of Catechism and Faith Formation for the children, teens, and adults of our parish community. We also BEGIN AGAIN a new journey in Christ through the liturgical cycle and seasons of the Church. Although it may seem like we hear the same readings or learn the same lessons, when we BEGIN AGAIN, we actually are coming to the lesson with new experience and a richer perspective. Every time we BEGIN AGAIN in Christ, we have a more developed point of view. As disciples of Christ, we are called to love God above all things and love our neighbor as ourselves. To commit to this work of building right relationships with God and others, we must always BEGIN AGAIN. So as we BEGIN AGAIN this fall, may we stay open to the graces of God and more deeply learn the wisdom and lessons our Heavenly Father has for all of us.

Last week, I talked about the journey we make in the Lord. Understanding the spiritual journey a bit deeper, we begin to see that it truly is a journey to RETURN to our original state in which God first created each of is in love. We are all on a journey to RETURN home and to RETURN to our true selves as children of God. In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, we see the younger son making a RETURN home to encounter his true nature as “beloved”. May we find the grace and strength in Christ as we make this RETURN home to our truest identity: beloved child of God.