WITHEREDNESS
Today, in the United States, is Labor Day, a national holiday to celebrate the dignity of work and the rights of workers. The Gospels present Jesus as one who is not afraid to get his hands dirty. He is not afraid to enter into the messiness of the human condition, break bread with those considered as sinners, touch the suffering even when it would render him unclean in the eyes of many, or to perform the essential work of healing and liberation on the sabbath as we see in today’s Gospel. Jesus sees all of these “works” as his mission, the work he is sent to do, the essential “work of the Father.”
Through his incarnation, he entered the human condition in a family, and like all of us, he learned a trade. He was known as the carpenter’s son. He used his own hands to shape, carve, and build the wood that the earth has given. He gathered fishermen and a tax collector to share in his mission. He preached, and he exemplified solidarity with the human family.
Amid this, Jesus calls us to be his co-workers. The carpenter’s son is in our midst as we celebrate today the gift of human labor and the rights of workers. Our Catholic Social Teachings reinforce and clarify that all people must be recognized for their inherent dignity and gifts regardless of the color of their skin, their religious beliefs, or their place of origin. All these gifts need to be shared in order to build up the whole, in keeping with God’s original plan.
Like Jesus, we must not hesitate to do our Father’s work, even in the face of opposition or persecution. We read in the gospel today that in spite of the strong opposition, Jesus did not budge a bit in doing good. He healed the man with the withered hand. May he heal our witheredness: sickness, addictions, doubt, confusion, fear, cynicism, omissions, etc. In the words of Saint Paul, “let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:8).
As his co-workers or co-builders, Jesus says, “Do not be afraid.” He knows who we are. The man in today’s Gospel was a person of faith, and I wish I had the faith of the man with the withered hand. Jesus asked him to stretch out his hand, and he immediately obeyed. How many times do I delay when God asks me to stretch out my hand?
When I put myself in the man’s shoes, I can hear my own response:
“I still have use of my left hand.”
“See that person inflicted with leprosy? They need healing more than I do.”
“It’s not worth your time, Lord. I’ve learned to live with this. I’m fine!”
May Jesus heal us from these flimsy and prideful excuses. May he remove all weighs on us. May we allow Jesus to touch us and heal our withered hearts and lives.
Have holidays, for all who live in the Good Old U.S.A. Have a wonderful Labor Day. Be safe!
