Litany for Labor

[L] Sabbath is a command to set aside a day to recognize the inherent glory and generosity in the work of God’s creation.

[P] Let us rest from our own labors, in order to understand and appreciate the primal labor from which we and our ability to work are sourced.

[L] Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and into the wilderness to give them time, space, and energy to offer praise and worship to God.

[P] Praise be to the heavens for God’s deliverance to worship for Israel and for us.

[L] Our nation sets aside the first Monday in September to honor the work of our bodies and minds.

[P] We pray this day for all who labor and are heavily burdened; for heads of household who struggle to feed their families on part-time hours at minimum wage; for the undereducated and the unqualified whose lives are shortened by the market’s brutal disregard for their health. Make us instruments of change in individual and corporate circumstance, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

[L] Let us also remember those who are driven to workaholism by the tapeworm of consumption.

[P] We pray this day for all who, in spite of hefty portfolios and incomes, work longer and harder with less and less satisfaction. Help us to mirror healthful family, community, and faith relationships, that we all might measure our worth with and receive our joy from your gift of grace, O Lord.

[L] Our congregation sets aside the month of September as a month for particular emphasis on the practice of stewardship.

[P] We pray this day for all who struggle to decide when and how to hang on and let go of the bounty of our inheritance and our labor which come from your providence, O God. May we find ways to keep our palms upturned and opened, that we might freely receive and give your gifts with joy and generosity, as you guide us through the nudging of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

© 2005 Todd Jenkins