Each year I am surprised that the Lectionary does not have specific, special readings for Labor Day. I know it is a secular holiday, but the Catholic Church has a long history of social teachings that emphasize the dignity of labor and the rights of workers. Those topics came up this week. There was a proposal this week from the Department of Labor that would require overtime pay for salaried positions whose earnings are under a certain threshold. Think of the shift manager at your favorite fast food restaurant. They manage the crew, are expected to work longer hours but since they are salaried, there is no additional pay. Why do it? The hope of increased wages and promotion. Meanwhile it is not uncommon for hourly workers to earn more than their managers. Continue reading →

Today’s gospel is known as the Parable of the Talents. While we are reading Matthew’s version, the Gospel of Luke has a similar recounting. The Greek word used in the parable, talanton, has no metaphorical meaning. It is simply a weight measure of a precious metal such as gold or silver. Our English use of the word to mean an aptitude or ability really only dates to the late 13th century when it appeared in a metaphorical musing on the parable. Prior to that time, even the middle French and Latin equivalent to the Greek talanton meant “weight.” We point this out to remind us all that before one moves to a metaphorical sense of Scripture, one should consider the literal sense. Continue reading →