September 6, 2026

Dear Brothers and Sisters, With Labor Day weekend, we’re moving out of the summer season and into the swing of fall. Things are moving again, both in the world around us and at St. Thomas! Our campus ministry is back in session, Faith Formation will begin next week, and the special seasonal events are coming soon. Before we jump into the busy season, however, we have the gift of a day of rest. Our secular calendar gives us Labor Day weekend, customarily Monday off. In the Church’s tradition, however, we see every Sunday as a time of rest. Or maybe to put it a bit more exactly, a time of freedom. Here’s the idea from Scripture. Our work on the other days of the week is when we share in God’s own work of making and sustaining—but the rest we enjoy each Sunday is a sign that we’re made for more than work. It’s a time when we don’t just use creation (through work) but instead enjoy creation, especially in our relationships. Part of why Sunday Mass is such an important hour of each week is precisely because it brings together our relationships with God and each other. Hopefully the holiday weekend will be a time to enjoy those relationships more fully. And even if you have to work this Monday, remember that your work is a participation in God’s work, and that Sunday is still your sharing in God’s rest. I wish everyone a restful Labor Day weekend with your family, friends, and neighbors. Let’s rest from our labors, and look forward to the great work that God will do among us during the coming program year, under the powerful intercession of Blessed Mary, Ever-Virgin, and our patron St. Thomas. God bless,

Father Jantz