It is Labor Day Weekend, and for most of us, the summer is over. Many will watch the Jerry Lewis "Labor of Love" tonight and tomorrow. But the scriptures point out today that the real labor of love comes not from watching others but from a deep introspection.

In the gospel Jesus is very harsh with the Pharisees for their condemnation of others without self-accusation. For demanding the minimal while neglecting the important. They hated Jesus for exposing their hypocrisy. Jesus words challenge us just as much today, to gaze into the depth of our soul to discover within ourselves who we are.

Deep down in our soul we discover a law not given by ourselves; but given to us. A law written in our heart that we are under obligation to obey, always calling us to love good and avoid evil. It is a law which is an honor to obey and according to which, we will be assigned the merits of eternal life.

It is in the most secret core and sanctuary of each one's conscience that we ultimately hear the voice of God; and as all of the readings from last week said so eloquently; we ultimately decide whom it is that we follow and serve.

St. James tells us: Humbly welcome the word that has taken root in you. Act on it. Because if all you do is listen, you are deceiving yourselves. We will be judged according to our conscience, according to the word we hear. We will not be judged according to a rule book, but according to the way we have acted on what we believe we have heard to be truth and love.

When the time for judgment comes, we stand completely alone before God, and there will be no use trying to excuse ourselves saying: So and so told me to do it. Everybody does it. I didn't have time to do it. Even though I knew it was wrong, it wasn't illegal. No, I didn't vote to make it illegal.

Jesus, it's hard to love the way you ask. Jesus might respond, yes. It's a labor, a labor of love, and on this Labor Day weekend, I remind you of the words of Deuteronomy: This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people. For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call to Him? But I hear this nation calling out for me less and less; its people acting very self dependent.