SCRIPTURE/PRAYER

Holy Day and Holiday Readings
Labor Day

Reading 1

Genesis 1:26-2:3

God said:
"Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
          the birds of the air, and the cattle,
          and over all the wild animals
          and all the creatures that crawl on the ground."
God created man in his image;
                   in the divine image he created him;
                   male and female he created them.
God blessed them, saying:
          "Be fertile and multiply;
          fill the earth and subdue it.
Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air,
          and all the living things that move on the earth."
God also said:
          "See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth
          and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food;
          and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air,
          and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground,
          I give all the green plants for food."
And so it happened.
God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.
Evening came, and morning followed -the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed.
Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had been doing,
          he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken.
So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy,
          because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation.

A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul

Thessalonians 4:1b-2, 9-12

Brothers and sisters,
     we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,
     as you received from us
     how you should conduct yourselves to please God-
     and as you are conducting yourselves-
     you do so even more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

On the subject of mutual charity
     you have no need for anyone to write you,
     for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.
Indeed, you do this for all the brothers throughout Macedonia.
Nevertheless, we urge you, brothers, to progress even more,
     and to aspire to live a tranquil life,
     to mind your own affairs,
     and to work with your own hands,
     as we instructed you,
     that you may conduct yourselves properly toward outsiders
     and not depend on anyone.

Gospel

Matthew 25:14-30

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"A man going on a journey
     called in his servants
     and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one-
     to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,
     and made another five.
Likewise, the one who received two made another two.
But the one who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground
     and buried his master's money.
After a long time
     the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents
     came forward bringing the additional five.
He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
     I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,
     'Master, you gave me two talents.
See, I have made two more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
     I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,
     'Master, I knew you were a demanding person,
     harvesting where you did not plant
     and gathering where you did not scatter;
     so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.
Here it is back.'
His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant!
So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant
     and gather where I did not scatter?
Should you not then have put my money in the bank
     so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.
For to everyone who has
     more will be given and he will grow rich;
     but from the one who has not,
     even what he has will be taken away.
And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,
     where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"