Dear Parishioners, Not only have we just begun this month of September, but we also have a nice long holiday weekend. This is always a nice transition weekend as we wrap up the summer months and prepare ourselves for the upcoming Fall season. Thinking a little bit about our labors and our work, we realize just how busy we often are. Our schedules can be packed with many activities. Sometimes we let ourselves be involved in so many things that we forget that we need to rest and have some down time. Today, I would also like all of you to think about your work as a Christian. Certainly, it involves time for prayer, both in public as we participate in the celebration of the Mass, but also the need to make time for private prayer. This time for private prayer is also critical to our spiritual life and keeping our eyes focused on God. Yet our time is also challenged in making sure that we do good works or help to draw others to Christ by our actions, example, and how we teach the faith. This is the “labor” that a Christian should do every day: to work our life of faith into all the activities and things we do all day long. As we look ahead, don’t forget about our parish picnic next weekend after the 11:00 am Mass. Details can be found in the bulletin today. I hope to see you there! Also, a reminder that our Faith Formation classes start in two weeks. Please make sure to mark your calendars for these important dates!