At the 2011 Social Action Summer Institute, which offered the theme Focus on the Worker: “New Things” in Labor 120 years after Rerum Novarum, Bishop Gabino Zavala offered the opening address. His words both challenged and affirmed the social action directors present, while providing a theological, reflective rootedness for the training that took place during the duration of the institute. You can read the address in its entirety here!
Opening Plenary: The Dignity of Work: Theological Foundations
Bishop Gabino Zavala, Archdiocese of Los Angeles
I. Introduction and Invitation to Reflection
I 
want to welcome all of you to this Social Action Summer Institute. This is a wonderful opportunity for personal growth, renewing your commitment to your work, building relationships and enjoying this wonderful city. I am very grateful for your invitation to share some of my own thoughts with you. I am privileged to be with all of you. Thank you for all the work you do in service to the Church and the bishops. Your work gives the People of God a wonderful context in living out the Gospel in our daily lives.
You are all well aware of the timeliness of this topic on the dignity of work. The situation in Wisconsin with public sector workers that has spread to Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and other states has challenged us to examine once again our teachings on labor, unions and the common good. In the latest Legatus Magazine we are told that “most Catholics, including bishops and priests, are relatively uninformed about the social doctrine of the Church, its themes and development.” The article goes on to say that this is the case because most young priests are not interested in these issues and many older priests have failed to update themselves on these issues. This may well be true. If it is, you have a lot of work to do! Finally, they state that the times and circumstances have changed since Rerum Novarum and so we need to look at these present cases in light of the changing context of catholic social teaching. Some use this argument as an opportunity to deny workers their basic rights.
In response to the Wisconsin situation Archbishop Jerome Listecki of Milwaukee issued a statement on Feb. 16 that came down in favor of workers’ rights. “Hard times do not nullify the moral obligation each of us has to respect the legitimate rights of workers… Every union, like every economic actor, is called to work for the common good, to make sacrifices when required and to adjust to new economic realities. However, it is equally a mistake to marginalize or dismiss unions as impediments to economic growth.” 
I raise this just so that we can see how timely our work is today.
Do most of you remember the first paying job you had? I remember my first job. My first job besides doing household chores at home was to sell newspapers. When I was 11 years old I got this job which required me to stand on a corner selling newspapers after school. I would sell the evening edition of the newspaper to people as they went home from work. If I sold 30 papers at $0.10 a piece I took home $1.05. It may not seem like much by today’s standards. But we are talking about the early 60’s. On my way home I could buy a small cheese pizza for $0.95 or a small bag of fries for $0.25. Or I could save my money for something else. I enjoyed my job. It made me feel good. It gave me a sense that I was getting something for my hard work.
Take a moment to reflect on your first job: What was it? What work were you doing? Why did you take the job? What did you do with your compensation? How did it make you feel?
Because to work is so significant, to be compensated for what we do makes us feel valued. It causes us to look beyond ourselves. Even as a child or a teenager, it leaves a lasting impression.
II. Foundations of the inherent dignity of work
The Church has a rich tradition on work and the rights of the worker. It doesn’t matter if it is the labor of a paper boy, factory worker, or white collar worker. Central to this teaching is the belief that work has an inherent dignity. And it seems that to an extent, every Pope from Leo XIII in Rerum Novarum to Benedict XVI in Caritas In Veritate have talked about the dignity of work. In fact all of us, as we talk about work and labor, stipulate to work’s inherent dignity. We assume it. It’s axiomatic. It is something that we just take for granted.
Why? Why do we believe so deeply that work has inherent dignity?
We need to go back to the very beginning. Let’s look at the Book of Genesis. The narrative on creation gives us two thoughts. First of all we see that Man and Woman are created in the image and likeness of God. God’s labor is central to our existence. God didn’t merely will the world or us into existence. It wasn’t done with a flick of the wrist or a snap of the fingers. The creation of the world was work. Hard work that required rest.
Secondly, Man and Woman are put in Eden to cultivate and care for it. This is to be understood as an exercise of human creativity and a participation in God’s ongoing creation of the world.
In the Old Testament writers had very strong words for those who abused laborers and poor people, for those who withheld wages. In the book of Deuteronomy the author tells us “do not cheat poor and needy hired servants, whether they are Israelites or foreigners living in one of your towns. Each day before sunset pay them for that days’ work; they need the money and have counted on getting it. If you do not pay them, they will cry out to the Lord and you will be guilty of sin.” The prophet Jeremiah proclaims: “Doomed is the one who builds his house by injustice and enlarges it by dishonesty: who makes his people work for nothing and does not pay their wages.”
Clearly this speaks to today’s concern about wage theft!
As we know, Jesus echoes these sentiments and frequently used the dynamics of labor and work to teach in parables. We have the familiar examples of the Workers in the Vineyard [Mt 20:1-16]; the Barren Fig Tree [Lk 13: 6-9] in addition to today’s gospel (Parable of the Sower).
And Jesus even tells us why he does it–because that’s how we come to understand.
Of all the analogies or themes he could use, he repeatedly relies on work because that’s the easiest for us to understand. We are all engaged in it!
Not only are we all engaged in it, to some degree people want to define us by it. How often when meeting someone for the first time are we asked the question, “What do you DO?” As if what we DO, defines who we are. Jesus himself is frequently identified by his vocation. He is a carpenter. While the question is limiting because it doesn’t encapsulate all we are, as Catholics, the hope is that our work DOES reflect who we are and what we believe to be true, what we know to be of value. And if we look at the etymology of vocation, we know that the word ‘vocation’ comes from the Latin “to call”–i.e. our labor, properly understood, can be seen as a divine calling.
Work allows us to share with Jesus in creation. In work, we carry out our Gospel mandate to care, feed, clothe, visit our sisters and brothers [Mt 25]. In work, we bring forth the Kingdom of God here on Earth.
Today the Scriptures and teachings of Jesus continue in the Wisdom of the Church.
The Second Vatican Council reiterates the value of work and its transformative potential.
“For all their works, prayers, and apostolic undertakings, family and married life, daily work, relaxation of mind and body, if they are accomplished in the Spirit—indeed even the hardships of life if patiently borne—all these become spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. During the celebration of the Eucharist these sacrifices are most lovingly offered to the Father along with the Lord’s body. … the lay faithful consecrate the world itself to God” (Lumen Gentium, 34).
III. The goal of dignified work
It is in understanding the nature of dignified work, that we can understand the goals of our labor; that is, what our labor ought to accomplish.
Work ought to promote the common good. Our work needs to contribute to society. Our work should enhance who we are as human beings. It should help us celebrate our humanity, be ever faithful stewards of creation, protecting the vulnerable and providing for those who cannot work.
Our work should be supportive of the worker and the worker’s family. Work should provide a wage sufficient to allow everyone to achieve their personal, spiritual, emotional, and intellectual fulfillment. Work should allow for realization and self-awareness in each worker. Every worker should experience the same level of pride and accomplishment as that very first job selling newspapers.
IV. Our challenge, then, is twofold:
In conclusion, what are the challenges for us? We need to ask ourselves: how do I personally discern, develop or nurture my own vocation? How do I continue to find work that contributes to the common good, allows me to support myself and my family, and helps me fulfill my role as co-creator? How do I challenge myself and find support for my work?
Second, but no less important; How do I invite others to discern, develop or nurture their vocation? How do I deprive, by my choices and behavior, my human brothers and sisters of their right to decent, dignified work? How can I live in solidarity with my brothers and sisters in my community and around the world in their quest for dignified work?
Solidarity means going that extra mile to shop in stores that treat their workers with dignity. Solidarity means standing with farm workers, hotel workers, janitors, car washers, meat processors, and restaurant employees who just want a decent wage. Solidarity is helping workers whose wages have been stolen to find justice. And we can all think of so many more examples.
The work you do is tough. It is demanding. We need to celebrate what we do. It is so important. And we need support networks to give us the strength to carry on.
Thank you all once more for the work you do, for your persistence and tenacity, and for your commitment to the common good.
