Fr. Glenn Jones:

Well, here we are at Labor Day again, when many take a holiday from … labor. Hmmm … seems a little strange. Not that I’m complaining. 😉

Of course, Labor Day was founded “to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United States.” (Wikipedia). Hopefully our labor contributes to the benefit of not only ourselves and families, but of society as a whole. We labor with the aim of being “successful”.

But that begs the question: What is success?

Of course, many view success as the attainment of ever-increasing wealth or notoriety, pursued through legal moral, and by many be illegal and immoral, means. But should not “success” lead to greater fulfillment and even happiness to the person pursuing it? Otherwise, what’s the point?

Yet, as is more than evident, there are very many wealthy and notable who are very unhappy—much more so than they were prior to their attainment of that wealth and fame they worked toward. Daily are the trials and tribulations of the rich and famous plastered all over the news, a burden for them exacerbated by the constant hounding of photographers or journalists dogging their every step, waiting to pounce on any perceived fault or weakness.

Invariably the rich and famous have lots of hangers-on. But something we ought remember is that people seek out relationships because they want what another person has; for instance, if we have lots of money, we can be sure that many—if not all—want a piece (or all) of that pie. Or, if a person is famous, many “groupies” seek to share in that glory by vicariously poaching some bit of fame for themselves; more positively, some may see the person as a role model and teacher, such a student seeking to learn from someone distinguished in their field.

Throughout history the wise have often remarked about what is found rewarding as death approaches—success—as being a clean conscience, having “made a mark” through virtue, and the love of family and friends. So, how do we attain these things which seem to bring final peace? Such deep tranquility is not cultivated in a day, a month or a year, but is the result of the sum of one’s life labor. 

First of all is that moral life, and the Ten Commandments forms one of the earliest encapsulations of universal human principles of morality. Even the non-believer understands instinctively the rectitude of honoring and respecting one’s parents, not murdering, avoiding adultery, respecting property rights and persons, etc.—doing unto others as you would have them do unto you (not called the “Golden Rule” for nothing!) Pope St. Leo the Great wrote: “To love God is nothing else than to love righteousness.” The Christian also remembers St. John: “This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments,” (1 John 5:3), and Jesus Himself emphasizing the same: “… a man ran up … and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ And Jesus said to him, ‘ … You know the commandments …’” (Mark 10: 17-18) Even more emphatically, Jesus affirms: “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him … He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.” (John 14:23-24) A favorite example of determined courage is Eleazar facing martyrdom, declaring: “… by manfully giving up my life now, I will show myself worthy of my old age and leave to the young a noble example of how to die a good death willingly and nobly for the revered and holy laws.” (2 Maccabees 6:27-28)

Second for success is that “making a mark”—not meaning fame and fortune in themselves, but rather in doing good to others, as Jesus emphasizes in the second great commandment of loving one’s neighbor as oneself. Even a little given with love when one only has little is of great worth, as in the beautiful account of the widow’s mite (Mark 12: 41-44)—the humblest of givers receiving some of the greatest praise of Jesus … of God Himself. But Jesus excoriates the hypocrisy of those who “blow their own bugle” in seeking fame, while He ever praises the generous and self-sacrificing who work quietly and humbly in charity.

That “making a mark”, of course, extends to that love and care we give to family and friends, and even to strangers. For with whom do we build our deepest relationships? What do we want from them? Is it not with those who share their hearts with us in sincere and selfless friendship, and even love? Are we not “successful” when we become such a one? As we read: “A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter: he that has found one has found a treasure. There is nothing so precious as a faithful friend, and no scales can measure his excellence. A faithful friend is an elixir of life …” (Sirach 6:14-16)

Our hope is always that the love we show to family, friends and all others will “bear fruit a hundredfold” by they also manifesting care and love to others—carrying love forward to even greater harvest. After all, what love is greater than to endeavor to have one’s own beloved themselves love and be loved? As St. Paul reminds us, if we have not love, we gain nothing whatever (1 Corinthians 13:1-3), for it is the greatest of all things that last (v. 13).

Whatever else we achieve in life—wealth, fame, beauty—all is for naught, absolutely pointless and vain, if we have not love for, and of, God and neighbor. For these do we labor and strive, for only in them are we truly—and eternally—successful.

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“The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man … “ (Genesis 39:2)

“Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law … turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:7)

Editor’s note: Rev. Glenn Jones is the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and former pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Los Alamos.