From the Friars: True Service of God

America is arguably the greatest country in the world! But just as every kingdom rises and falls, one pitfall of American culture is the misconception that a successful career can somehow replace healthy relationships. Case in point, the United States is home to some of the finest technological advancements, while at the same time we have an extremely high divorce and suicide rate. As Labor Day Weekend is less than a week away—which means the Feast of the Three Saints is fast approaching! —it is important to reflect on our call to sanctify our work and order it to true service of God.

In the Old Testament, the word ‘service’ has a double meaning. The Hebrew word is ‘abah’ which can mean both, ‘servile work’ and ‘worship’. “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the desert” (Ex. 7:16). This was God’s command spoken through the prophet Moses to the stubborn and hard-hearted Pharaoh. The Israelites were called to leave their comfortable life of ‘servile work’ in Egypt and enter the harsh climate of the wilderness to ‘worship’ God in the desert. True service leads to true worship since service to the Pharaoh was an integral part of the Israelites history and spiritual growth. Yet this form of enslavement remains infinitely less than the freedom that comes from the worship of the One true God.

This year marks the 100th Anniversary of the Feast of the Three Saints. And for the members of Saint Alfio Society this is an integral part of true service of God. Our Italian ancestors sacrificed their only weekend from harsh working conditions and inhumane working hours, to publicly honor their patronal Saints which they brought from Trecestagni, Sicily. They took to heart God’s call to the Israelites to sacrifice servile work for worship. Our common dignity reaches its climax when we freely choose to live according to our human nature—created in the image and likeness of God. And as relational beings we must be courageous enough to order the comfort of a successful career (servile work) to the desert of forgiveness and family relationships, which is the only way to reach the Promised Land (worship).

Please join us this Labor Day Weekend as we continue the tradition of ordering our human labor to the true service of God.

— Fr. Francis