For the Workers

All of last summer, I was trying to gather support from local congregations for a group of workers struggling to unionize in Lower Manhattan. They won -- whether by the support of the churches or not. There were people of faith to support these people. Last summer, Labor Day meant something. It bothered me that we didn't recognize workers in worship the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. It bothered me that we failed to elevate their experience.

This summer, I wrote a Children's Message about the Gospel reading. I spoke about the presence of God where two or three are gathered. But, I didn't mention workers. I didn't mention the importance of all people in that small congregation of two or three. I didn't recognize how hard it might be for those workers to gather due to exhaustion or work duty. I didn't mention the people that I had met last summer. Did I think the children would not understand?

Today, I passed my day off in the sun. It was a beautiful day where I didn't have a care in the world. And only now as my day comes to a close am I thinking about those workers that support our nation and our world in prayer. Only now am I remembering those that are deprived from the right to organize to create better opportunities for healthcare, job security, wages or simply on the job safety. Only now -- as midnight approaches -- am I remembering those that we honor on Labor Day. May all workers find peace on this day and everyday. And may the rest of us be restless until we remember them in our morning prayers.