This labor day is about celebrating the individuals who work and others who benefit from that work. I am fortunate that I have a job and as I kid, although I took it for granted, I was happy that both of my parents were employed and were able to provide for my sister and I. There are numerous benefits for employment including food, being able to pay bills, and a place to rest your head at night. But in today’s world it just isn’t the employed who need our prayers but it is also the unemployed and underemployed may even need them more. I probably should elaborate on what being underemployed means. To me it means someone who is employed but not being compensated appropriately or someone who is employed at a job that isn’t quite sufficient with their current job skills. And there are others who even work temporary or odd jobs to make ends meet. There are many individuals who work and sometimes even suffer under these categories.

I would like to share an excerpt from a prayer for the hope and employment:

Lord Jesus Christ,…

Today in mass was a special day for me. It had been a while since I had been because there had been other things that were seemingly getting in the way or I was working (or other times too tired) so I could not make time for mass. But today I did and it was as usual a good experience for me. The priest spoke about who were are as people and how sometimes who we are as people does not always reflect how we are externally. He also spoke about the devil and how he wants to bring who we are on the inside to the outside meaning that he wants to take away the goodness that we have as people and make us all miserable souls.

Who are we really? What really defines who we are? I’d like to think of myself as a care-free individual who has an adventure for like and a deep passion for the world around me. I also have a strong interest in academics and health. But who I am isn’t the same as the next person that I will meet. We all have our differences in our goodness and also our flaws. Although we may do things that do not necessarily reflect who we are as people but that will occasionally happen and it is up to us to rectify that issue. There are also occasions that doing the opposite of who we really are can be beneficial. Ideas and the people who hold them can also change. I do consider myself a care-free person but when the situation arises I can be very serious and focused.

Just be the person who are because what’s on the inside is what really matters to the higher power we serve. He knows our purpose and what we represent. Trust in Him and who we are on the inside will undoubtedly show to the rest of the world.