09.05.06 Tuesdays Reflection

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=220 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <IMG SRC="13eb8750.jpg" border=0 width="184" height="117" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>"We, who have received the love of Christ through the Spirit must not contain it..."</B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Volunteer Missionary Movement (VMMUSA)"><U>Home Page</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id51.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tuesdays Reflection"><U>Tuesdays Reflection</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mission Statement"><U>Mission Statement</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id215.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Vision Statement"><U>Vision Statement</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ways You Can Help Us"><U>Ways You Can Help Us</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="All About VMM"><U>All About VMM</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Application Qualifications"><U>Application Qualifications</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Discernment Process"><U>Discernment Process</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="application.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Application Form"><U>Application Form</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Related Links"><U>Related Links</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bridges Newsletter"><U>Bridges Newsletter</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id33.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Letters from the Missions"><U>Letters from the Missions</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id16.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Adobe Printing Instructions"><U>Adobe Printing Instructions</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us"><U>Contact Us</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.guidestar.org/partners/networkforgood/donate.jsp?ein=36-3153581" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.guidestar.org/partners/networ"><U><IMG SRC="1887e300.gif" border=0 width="126" height="48" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <bR> <div>  <form method="get" action="http://search.atomz.com/search/"> <input size=15 name="sp-q"><br> <input type=submit value="Search"> <input type=hidden name="sp-a" value="sp10020180"> <input type=hidden name="sp-f" value="iso-8859-1"> </form></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><I><B>Volunteer Missionary Movement (VMM-USA)</B></I></FONT>    |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Volunteer Missionary Movement (VMMUSA)"><U>home</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >                                </FONT><B>09.05.06  </B><A HREF="id51.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Tuesdays Reflection"><U><B>Tuesdays Reflection</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> On Human Labour</div> <bR> <div> The faithful must acknowledge the deepest meaning and value of all </div> <div> creation, as well as its role in the harmonious praise of God. They </div> <div> must help each other, even through their daily occupations, to live </div> <div> holier lives, so that the world may be permeated by the spirit of </div> <div> Christ and may thus more effectively fulfill its destiny in justice, </div> <div> love and peace. The laity have the principal role in the overall </div> <div> fulfillment of this task. Therefore, by their competence in secular </div> <div> disciplines and by their activity, elevated from within by the grace </div> <div> of Christ, let them do all in their power to ensure that through </div> <div> human labour, technical skill and civic culture the goods of creation </div> <div> may be developed for the benefit of everyone according to the design </div> <div> of the Creator and the light of his Word. May these goods be more </div> <div> equitably distributed among all men and women, and may they </div> <div> contribute to universal progress in human and Christian freedom. In </div> <div> this manner, through the members of the Church, will Christ </div> <div> progressively illumine the whole of human society with his saving light.</div> <div> Lumen Gentium - Light of the People (1965)</div> <bR> <div> Before I meditate on this text I get rid of a few irritating </div> <div> reminders of some clerical dichotomies:</div> <bR> <div> They must help each other through their daily occupations - that </div> <div> includes prayer, work, recreation, all of which help us to live </div> <div> holier lives.</div> <bR> <div> Therefore, by their competence in religious and secular disciplines - </div> <div> today laity are as competent in religious disciplines as clerics, </div> <div> and all disciplines are needed to a assure a world where all have </div> <div> their basic human needs met.</div> <bR> <div> Fourteen years before Lumen Gentium, in grades 8 and 9, I learned in </div> <div> religion class lessons I have never forgotten: All workers need a </div> <div> living wage - a wage sufficient to provide for the needs of their </div> <div> family. The dignity of blue- and white-collar workers is equal. </div> <div> Workers have a right to organize. These rights still exist today. On </div> <div> this Labour Day, let us reflect on what this day means for us as </div> <div> Christians.</div> <bR> <div> Cecily</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>