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As summer winds down, school starts up and football gets underway, we might not like to do anything this Labor Day weekend but swing in a hammock without a care in the world. But cares in the world do not cease because we stop work for 24 hours. As we lie in our hammocks, we should give some time to pondering such questions as these:
* ``How can our nation work together to overcome the scandal of so much poverty in our midst, especially among our children?* ``How can our Church take a leadership role in calling those in positions of power to promote economic growth, job security, decent wages and greater opportunities?
* ``What are the moral responsibilities and limitations of markets, the state and the voluntary sector?
* ``How can business, labor, various levels of government and mediating structures like churches, charities and voluntary groups work together to overcome economic injustice and exploitation in our communities?
* ``How can the dignity and rights of workers be protected and enhanced in an economy where increasing competition, frequent downsizing and less unionization have left many workers at risk?''
Those are not easy questions to consider, much less answer. They come from the American bishops' Labor Day statement (see article on page 14 for additional details). In introducing the statement last week, one bishop reminded us: ``As people of faith, we believe we are one family, not competing classes. We are sisters and brothers in Christ, not economic units or statistics.''
Since that is so, then we have a lot of work to do, the kind of work that calls us from our offices, trucks, farms, factories, schools and other places of employment. We are summoned to join in reflecting on the questions listed above and to come up with answers that derive from our faith rather than our politics, from our core beliefs rather than our passing concerns, and from our community rather than our self-interest.
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