Lessons from the Prologue of the Rule of St. Benedict to Get Your Work Day Started - Conclusion
We conclude our discussion of the Prologue of the Rule of St. Benedict, applying the lessons and admonishments of this holy Abbot and founder of Western monasticism to our work lives. In doing so, we recall that this Rule is recognized as a virtual manual for those of us who ply our trades outside the enclosure of a monastery. St. Benedict's observations about organization, hierarchy, authority, relationships, cooperation, attention to the details of work - all have been recognized (even by non-Catholics) as examples for us to follow in both running and working for a business. The fact that we are Catholics here gives us an added incentive to take these lessons and admonishments to heart as we recognize the connection of our work and our spiritual life.
That connection can be seen in the fundamental theme of ora et labora - prayer and work - that runs throughout the Rule. And while the monk does, by practical design, devote more time to formal community prayer than the rest of us, we can and should pursue a vigorous prayer life even as we busy ourselves with our daily labor, such that the work itself becomes a kind of prayer. While our thoughts necessarily concentrate on the task at hand throughout the day, the habit of keeping God present in our hearts and minds allows us to intentionally work for His greater glory. And this ultimately gives our work its real value in His eyes. He has no need and no interest in how much money we make, how far we advance in our careers, any accolades we receive for a job well done. He knows when we have put forth our best effort. He knows when we have offered those best efforts to Him. If we can simply start our days thinking of Him, and proceed with the intention of working for His greater glory, we will be well on our way to not only a good day's work, but a satisfying work life.
This, of course, requires us to not only have the intention of working for His greater glory, but also seeing to it that in all our thoughts, words, and deeds we follow His commandments, and comport ourselves as Catholic gentlemen, giving good example to others. Only by our ascent and submission to His commandments, and the will to live by them, can we march out of our homes this day fit and fiddle as members of the Church Militant. When our work glorifies God, rather than simply satisfying our material needs and our personal ambitions, we march as true soldiers in Christ's army. That's why some of us rise early each day to make time for prayer, study, reading spiritual works. We prepare ourselves as do soldiers to march in step to God's commandments.
St. Benedict, pray for us!
That connection can be seen in the fundamental theme of ora et labora - prayer and work - that runs throughout the Rule. And while the monk does, by practical design, devote more time to formal community prayer than the rest of us, we can and should pursue a vigorous prayer life even as we busy ourselves with our daily labor, such that the work itself becomes a kind of prayer. While our thoughts necessarily concentrate on the task at hand throughout the day, the habit of keeping God present in our hearts and minds allows us to intentionally work for His greater glory. And this ultimately gives our work its real value in His eyes. He has no need and no interest in how much money we make, how far we advance in our careers, any accolades we receive for a job well done. He knows when we have put forth our best effort. He knows when we have offered those best efforts to Him. If we can simply start our days thinking of Him, and proceed with the intention of working for His greater glory, we will be well on our way to not only a good day's work, but a satisfying work life.
This, of course, requires us to not only have the intention of working for His greater glory, but also seeing to it that in all our thoughts, words, and deeds we follow His commandments, and comport ourselves as Catholic gentlemen, giving good example to others. Only by our ascent and submission to His commandments, and the will to live by them, can we march out of our homes this day fit and fiddle as members of the Church Militant. When our work glorifies God, rather than simply satisfying our material needs and our personal ambitions, we march as true soldiers in Christ's army. That's why some of us rise early each day to make time for prayer, study, reading spiritual works. We prepare ourselves as do soldiers to march in step to God's commandments.
Therefore our hearts and bodies must be ready to fight under the holy obedience of his commands; and let us ask God that he be pleased, where our nature is powerless, to give us the help of his grace...We know that without Him we can do nothing; and so we rely on his grace. Over time, with the help of that grace, our good example will touch the hearts and minds of all with whom we come in contact throughout the day. We will, simply by our example, help to spread the Good News, a process begun by Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when He walked amongst us, which He urges us to continue during our time in this world. We don't need to preach, or verbally evangelize (although there's nothing wrong with that), to be the emissaries of Jesus Christ in this world.
And if we would escape the pains of hell and reach eternal life, then must we - while there is still time, while we are in this body and can fulfill all these things by the light of this life - hasten to do now what may profit us for eternity...With this final admonition, St. Benedict reminds us of something many modern Catholics have somehow forgotten. Some day our lives will end and we will face the prospect of Heaven, Hell or Purgatory. Yes, God loves us. But the thoughts, words, and deeds of our ever day lives reflect whether or not we love Him too. If we do truly love Him we will "hasten to do now what may profit us for eternity." Let's get on it. There's no time to lose.
St. Benedict, pray for us!
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