Dignity of human work
During this month of May, we have a lot to celebrate. Ancient Roman people would honor the Goddess of flowers by having a lot of festivities. Soon enough Catholics adapted that, and honored our blessed mother instead. so, the month of May becomes a month that we honor our blessed mother - praying a rosary. Our community is going to have a block rosary led by the Filipino community every night. We, on zoom, gather together, and pray to our lady. You are welcome to join us in honor of our mother.
Today, May 1st is International Labor Day. Workers united, fought for a fair eight-hour work day. You probably have heard this history of Labor Day. In the United States, in 1886, thousands of workers gathered on May 1st wanted to go on a strike asking for an eight-hour work day. This is inspired by the manifesto of Karl Marx’s class struggle. They wanted to be free; they wanted to truly work to support the family in such a way that they could survive without being exploited by capitalists. On May 4th, they so-called hay market affair, where a bomb exploded and hurt about 70 policemen. And then they turned deadly, firing and killing multiple workers gathered together. A peaceful strike turned out to be deadly violence. Since then, we have adapted and called this International Labor Day.
However, there's something strange about this day - Pope Pius XII. On May 1st of 1955 he saw an encyclical specifically attacking this movement and establishing something very unique and special to Catholicism worldwide. Call it Saint Joseph feast day. Foster father of Jesus and saint Joseph the worker. Promoting the devotion to saint Joseph and also highlighting the dignity and sanctity of human labor. Something far beyond what communist party envisioned. It is not so much about work that we fight, for what works actually accomplished is what Pope Pius XII advocates. And therefore, the vision of Catholic understanding of dignity, and work, or human labor. Remember what had happened in the first chapter of the book of genesis. When God made men and women, ask them to take care of the earth, and also accomplish the creative act that God has begun. so human dignity, human work and its dignity has to do with that creative act of God. Making this world a beautiful place where God and man could live together, where men and women, when all of us, could together thrive. That is the vision of God's creative work.
So, my dear brothers and sisters, why are we talking about this on this beautiful third Sunday of Easter? When in the gospel we encounter a beautiful story of our lord Jesus reappearing again to his disciples. Specifically, to Peter. Being the prince of all disciples who will learn a very hard lesson. What does it mean to follow Jesus? Notice what happened to Peter. Peter had been asked by our lord Jesus to lead the 12th. Peter had been asked to follow Jesus to do only one thing, one thing that matters, is to proclaim good news to all people. Yet immediately after Jesus died, what Peter did was quite fascinating. Somewhat contrary to what our lord Jesus had asked him. He went back to his old job. Peter went back to fishing. Peter had forgotten that our lord Jesus called him after the day he caught nothing. He caught nothing, toiled all night long. and our lord Jesus asked him to cast by the side of the boat, and he caught so much fish and he prostrated himself and said: Lord stays away from me I'm a sinful man. Now, Lord Jesus says: from now on, you are going to fish syrup man. You are going to be a fisherman. You're not going to fish anymore; you're going to gather people with me. You’re going to make God's kingdom. Further here in this world, you are going to do God's work now. After Jesus died, what did he do? I'm going to fish. Peter, you're leading people back to where they started. You have forgotten everything I taught you. Abandon the mission immediately, abandoned the mission immediately after Jesus died. Now my dear brothers and sister, it is not bad to fish. no, it's not bad at all. It is not bad to earn a living by working with our hands, with our feet, with our heads, with our hearts, with our souls. It is not bad to support our family.
Many people have called me and asked whether I was born in a rich family. and they thought that I was born with a golden spoon in my mouth. it was all wrong it was all wrong. Even though my family owned a lot of businesses in Vietnam, we didn't start out that way. I was born in a very poor family. My mother died young, and we learned first-hand how hard it is to live without food. Bagging for food at the age of 10. I have to go around asking neighbors for rice. Borrowing from them to survive day to day. I had to really pick up trash and sell recycled bottles in order to earn enough to pay for my tuition at the age of 15. Up to 17, I have to work with my own hands, and pay for my own tuition. I work 12 hours, sometimes 16 hours a day, cleaning train stations and I work 15 days out of 30 days. And I study for only 15 days. Thank God I still graduated. But yet I understood very well what it meant to suffer hunger, what it meant to sleep outside without a blanket, and what it meant to be very poor. I also realized that the work that we do, given that it's not evil, given is not bad, given is not against human dignity, it's not beyond our dignity at all to clean dishes for living. it is not beyond our dignity to really mob the floor for living. A worker in a vineyard is no less dignified than a doctor working in the hospital. Most of our Asian parents think that their children should be doctors and lawyers. Because of the title, because of the dignity that society has given them. Therefore, they force their children to study hard, enter into prestigious universities and graduate with high degrees. However, it's not bad to be a Mexican worker working for the church vineyard. it's not bad to stand over there in her street in Berkeley asking for work for eight dollars an hour. It's not bad to support the family by going into construction sites, or vineyards picking up fruits. The dignity of human work, my dear brothers and sisters,does not lie into the title that we have. It lies in the fact that we contribute together, meaningfully purposefully building up the family of God here on this earth.
That's why saying Joseph as a carpenter could sustain and maintain God's family. That's why Jesus could be a carpenter working with his hands, with his heart, and with his soul. That's why fishing is not bad. but my dear brothers and sister, carpentry, working in a vineyard, or working in a hospital, and elsewhere, it's not an end in itself. It just means doing something far greater, that's why Peter is wrong to go back fishing and forget about the ultimate mission that our lord entrusted to him. That's why working for you, and for me, men and women of faith, just focusing on work alone is problematic. That's why communist is problematic. That's why communism and struggle class struggle is problematic. That's why it's evil. Because it fixates workers on the work itself. Have forgotten about beyond, what is beyond work. life with God, life with God, a beautiful human family, meaningful work and human dignity. So, my brothers and sisters, what our lord Jesus asked Peter today is a waking up call asking Peter once again: did you not remember that I asked you to feed my lamb? Did you not remember that I asked you to feed my flock? did you not remember that I asked you to feed my sheep? Peter has forgotten the meaning of his work. from now on, Peter said lord you know that I love you. Peter now remembers that the good lord asked him to give three things, three things.
first by his Words. He has to feed his people by the Words entrusted to him but the Word has given to him. For so long our lord Jesus taught him all along for the years. Our lord Jesus said Peter from now on you're going to feed my people with the word that I entrusted to you. N5ot your words but the words I entrusted to you. That’s why Peter, after the Pentecost, could come out to the open and told the people who just killed Jesus, who he was fearful of that you, all of you who hurt, who killed, who persecuting the people who follow Jesus, that I have nothing to share with you other than the lord Jesus, other than the faith I have in him. Peter now boldly came to the people that he believed in Jesus. He wants to share words of wisdom, of life that Jesus has given him. So, Peter now did not say his opinion. Peter now says his ultimate word received from Christ.
The second thing that he has to provide God's people with is his personal example. Peter is no longer to say it. Peter has to live it, Peter has to endure persecution, Peter has to suffer on So, behalf of Christ, feeding God's people with his personal experience. Peter is no longer the Peter of old. Denying and running away like chicken. no, Peter has to lead, now Peter has to make a decision, Peter has to feed his people, God's people with ultimate examples of his life. how he prayed, how he served, how he cared, and how he ultimately died.
Finally, Peter has to give up his own life. In feeding God's flock, blood has to be shed. So, my brothers and sisters, those are the three things that Peter has to honor the work of God, honor the one single work and mission entrusted to him to proclaim good news to all, in God's vineyard, in God's church. You and I have plenty of work to do.
You are doctors, you are engineers, you are people with great professional skills. Please don't fall into the trap of communist party asking us to fixate on our work alone. let's fix it on the beyond of what we do, works that we do, our means to achieve a greater end. and that greater end is life with God, life with one another, and having God at the center of our life. that's where our dignity, where the dignity of our work lies. and I ask you to consider this coming May 28th we're going to have a cleanup day. meaning we're going as the community of faith, as a family taking care of what we have, as our coming home. I'm asking you to consider. we're going to have a work day together, for three hours or so. we're going to clean everything that we have here in the church, on a mission, or else. where within the campus. we go, and we have a signup sheet soon for you. If you would like to clean up, picking up trash, hauling tree branches, or picking up, or cleaning the church, I'm asking you to consider making a little gesture of your dedication and love of this community.
For those who would like to participate in this upcoming great festival, the weekend that we have in honor of the founding day - June 10, 11 and 12, we are asking for volunteers to help out with different tasks. greeting people, directing traffic, helping with the festival events, and helping with the liturgies, and all that. Please consider, because this is the work of God entrusted to all of us, further God's kingdom by participating in small or big ways so I thank you in advance, and may God and saying Joseph, the mother of all workers, bless us all.
工作的神圣
五月，是一个值得庆祝的月份。古罗马人用五月来庆祝鲜花女神。天主教将五月订为圣母月。在这个月，我们以颂念玫瑰经来纪念真福的母亲 - 圣母玛丽亚。我们堂区每晚都会有一个由菲律宾社区领导的玫瑰经祈祷， 经过 Zoom ， 欢迎您加入我们的玫瑰经祈祷，专心的来纪念和光荣我们的母亲 。
5月1日是国际劳动节。在美国，1886 年 5 月 1 日，成千上万的工人聚集起来罢工。这罢工是受马克思阶级斗争宣言的启发，来争取每天8 小时的工作日。工人们想要在不受资本家剥削的情况下，争取工作及生存的权利，来养家糊口 。接着在5 月 4 日 ”干草市场事件” 中引爆了炸弹，炸伤了大约70多名警察，警察开枪杀死了多名聚集在一起的工人。一个和平的罢工示威马上就转变成为一个致命的暴力事件。为了纪念这个五月初的劳工平权运动，5月1日就被定为国际劳动节。
5 月 1 日对天主教而言，也是非常特别的一天。教宗庇护十二世在 1955 年 5 月 1 日发表了一篇通谕，抨击了国际劳工节，同时也为天主教建立了圣若瑟节。若瑟是耶稣的养父，也成了所有工人的主保。这篇通谕宣示对圣若瑟的虔敬，也彰显了人类工作的尊严和天主的神圣。天主教对工作的神圣和人类劳动的理解远远超出共产党的思维。我们关切的是工作的成效而不是工作本身。创世记第一章说。当天主创造男人和女人时，天主要他们照顾地球，继续完成天主的创造工程。因此，人类的尊严、他的工作以及工作的尊严都与天主的创造有关。天主要让这个世界成为一个美丽的地方，让天主与人类生活在一起，让男人和女人，和所有的人在一起茁壮成长，来持续天主的创造，这就是天主创世对工作的愿景。
兄弟姐妹们，为什么在复活节的第三个主日谈论这些呢？在今天的福音中，主耶稣再次显现给他的门徒，特别是显现给伯多禄。伯多禄是门徒之首，他在这次耶稣的显现中学到一个非常深的教训，那就是跟随耶稣的意义是什么？让我们看看伯多禄。主耶稣曾派遣伯多禄带领12 门徒。耶稣要求伯多禄做一件重要的事，那就是向所有的人宣扬天主的救恩。然而，在耶稣死后，伯多禄的行为与主的要求恰恰相反。伯多禄回到了原来的工作捕鱼去了。伯多禄忘了当初主耶稣是在他捕鱼一无所获之后才召唤他的。伯多禄捕鱼整夜操劳，一无所获，然后主叫他抛网到船边，捕到了许多鱼。事后，伯多禄跪下说：”主，请离开我，因为我是个罪人。“ 主耶稣说：”从现在开始，你要去做捕人的渔夫。“ 主说：“你不再捕鱼了；你要和我一起召集所有的人去建立天主的国度。去更远的地方，做天主的工作。” 但是耶稣死后，伯多禄做了些什么？他忘记了耶稣的教训，他立即放弃了所赋予的使命。兄弟姐妹，捕鱼也不错，一点也不差。用我们的手、用我们的脚、用我们的脑、用我们的心，用我们的灵魂工作来养家糊口也是应该的。
很多人问我是否出生在一个富裕的家庭。错了。尽管我家在越南拥有很多产业，但我出生在一个非常贫穷的家庭。我母亲早逝，我们亲眼目睹了没有食物的生活是多么的艰难。从 10岁开始我就每天四处向邻居借米饭来生存。我必须捡垃圾和卖回收瓶来支付我的学费。从15岁到17岁，我每天工作 12 小时甚至16 小时清理火车站。每个月我必须工作15天，只靠剩下的15天来读书。感谢天主，我还是毕业了。但是我非常清楚忍受饥饿是什么，露宿在外没有毯子是什么，以及贫穷是什么。我也意识到，我们的工作，只要不邪恶，不是坏事，不违背人的尊严，为了维持生活而洗碗或擦地板，并不伤害我们的尊严。
因为社会赋予工作的头衔与标签，大多数亚洲父母认为他们的孩子应该做医生或律师。因此，强迫孩子努力读书，进入名牌大学，以高学历来争取这些工作。然而，葡萄园工人的尊严并不亚于医院里的医生。一名为教堂葡萄园工作的墨西哥工人，站在伯克利街道上，每小时 赚8 美元的工作者，或到建筑工地，或去采收水果来养家糊口的工作者都一样的美好。亲爱的兄弟姐妹们，工作的尊严。并不在于工作的名称或标签，它在于我们一起贡献，有意义地，有目的地，在这个地球上建立天主的家园。
木匠若瑟以工作来维持和维护天主的家庭，耶稣是一个用双手，用心，和灵魂来工作的木匠，一样的，捕鱼也是个很好的工作。亲爱的兄弟姐妹们，木匠，葡萄园工人，或医疗人员，以及其他行业的工作者都好。因为工作并不是目的，它只是代表借着工作我们将成就伟大的事。
这就是为什么伯多禄忘了主托付给他的使命，而回去捕鱼是错误的。单单专注于工作，对我，对有信仰的人来说是有问题的。这就是为什么共产主义和阶级斗争是有问题的，邪恶的。因为它使工人只专注于工作，没有超越。人类的工作必须超越。与天主同在，才有美好的人类和家庭，工作才有意义和尊严。兄弟姐妹们，主耶稣今天与伯多禄的对话对我们来说是一个警告。主耶稣问伯多禄：你忘了我要你喂养我的羊群吗？伯多禄忘记了他的工作。当伯多禄说“主啊，你知道我爱你”时，他想起来了。良善的主要求他作三件事。
第一件事是说圣言。多年来圣言与伯多禄在一起，教导他，喂养他。耶稣说从现在开始你要用我托付给你的圣言来喂养我的羊。不是你的话，而是我托付给你的话。这就是为什么伯多禄在五旬节之后就公开告诉那些刚刚杀害耶稣的人，那些他害怕的人，那些伤害，杀害，迫害跟随耶稣的人， 大胆地承认他相信耶稣， 愿意分享耶稣赐给他的智慧圣言和生命。伯多禄不再陈述自己的意见，他只分享主基督赐给他的圣言。
第二件事是以身作则。伯多禄不能只说圣言，现在他必须活出圣言。他要忍受迫害，要受苦。要代表基督，用他个人的经历来喂养天主的子民。伯多禄再也不是一个否认与逃避迫害的弱者。他必须领导，必须决定，必须用他生命的终极榜样来养活天主的子民。以自己为榜样让大家看到应如何祈祷，服务 ，关心，和死亡。
最后一件事是奉献自己的生命。伯多禄尊重托付给他的工作和使命，他的使命是向所有人，在天主的葡萄园中，教会中宣讲救恩。喂养天主的羊群，必须流血，他奉献了自己的生命。兄弟姐妹们，你和我还有很多工作要做。
你们是医生，是工程师，都有出色的专业技能。不要落入共产党要求单单专注工作的陷阱。让我们超越我们的工作，借工作来实现更伟大的目标。这更伟大的目标就是与天主共存，彼此共存，以天主为我们生活的中心。这就是我们的尊严，我们工作的尊严。
圣母月回归父家清洁日 5 月 28 日，我们将要有一个清洁日。让我们一起工作三个小时，清理所有与堂区有关的东西。作为我们这个信仰团体，团结起来，愿意维护和回归父家的象征。我们会准备一份报名表。如果你愿意清洁、捡垃圾、收拾树枝、或打扫教堂及校园内的任何事情，请你填写的这个报名表。
6 月 10 日到12 日，我们有一个Mission San Jose 教堂建堂225周年的周末庆祝活动。我们也正在征求志愿者帮助堂区来服务这个特别的节日。如果你愿意问候人群，指挥交通，帮助活动，礼仪，等等。请考虑参加我们的自愿团队。这是天主托付给我们所有人的工作。无论大小，让我们同心协力来推展天主的国度，谢谢你们，愿天主和工人的主保圣若瑟祝福我们。