I have been re-reading Benedict's Way, and today am again pausing to consider WORK, one of the cornerstones of Benedictine monastic life. In fact, their motto, "Ora et Labora" (in Latin, "Pray and Work") highlights work, together with prayer.
"Idleness is the enemy of the soul," Benedict writes, and I agree... though I'm not sure why. Perhaps because, as much as I hate to clean the house or tidy my desk, I feel good when it is done. Perhaps because I've seen what trouble kids (and adults) can get into when they have "nothing to do." So, when they were young, we registered our children in swimming lessons, dancing lessons, and sports - to keep them busy. And when they were in high school, we encouraged them to get part-time jobs.
But Benedict also encourages prayer. What is the connection between the two? Is it similar to the connection between faith and works, the connection between what we believe and how we live our lives because of what we believe? One determines the other: Faith without works is dead, the Bible tells us...
At this time of my life when what I do is totally my choice, I sometimes wonder how I should be spending my day. A prayer in Benedict's Way is helpful:
God, you care enough about me that my work is important to you. You love all of us enough that there is inherent dignity in the labor of our lives. Remind me that I am your partner in creating the world you are designing - and that I am your partner in creating myself. Help me to cooperate heartily, and give me insight into the value of my work. Amen (From Benedict's Way, p. 49)
If our work partners us with God in "creating" God's world and at the same time "creates" us, it is extremely important. But we can't do it alone. "Every time you begin a good work, you must pray to God to bring it to perfection," Benedict wrote 1,600 years ago. (RB Prologue 4)
I guess that's it! We can't do it alone!
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