Establishing Rules In Our Work

Any work worth doing comes with some sort of rules, basic guidelines and practices that need to be followed each day. 

For example, we need to show up on time each morning - whether we're employees or run our own business. We're not likely to succeed in our endeavors if we don't.

We need to respect and cooperate with those for whom and with whom we work. If we don't, unpleasant interactions inevitably throw sand in the gears of our efforts; sometimes open conflict can waylay us from accomplishing both our daily objectives and our overall goals. 

Those are just two simple, basic rules than any of us should follow no matter what sort of work we do.

The same holds true in our spiritual life. The following sagacious sentences from a holy abbot make the point well

Human nature is the same whether we respond to the monastic cell or whether we live out our lives in a normal worldly environment. Few are so spiritually minded that they can afford to neglect the help of some sort of rule of life and standard of spirituality to which they can endeavour to conform themselves when faced with the many problems of a world where even moral standards have ceased to exist.

(Abbot Wilfrid Upson OSB)

Working our way through the Easter Season calls for special recollection during the work day. We want to bring our Risen Lord to work. Our rules - both in our work and in our spiritual life - will help us here.

Follow those rules, whatever they may be, without allowing distractions to get in the way. If we do, we will both get all our work done diligently and be spiritually recollected as suits our state of life.

Abbot Wilson recognizes the difference between the monastic cell and our typical "worldly" environment. But he urges all of us not to neglect the help of our rules - "rule of life and standard of spirituality." To these we must "conform" ourselves.

And he recognizes that whatever our state of life, wherever we work, whatever our work, we live in a world "where even moral standards have ceased to exist."

That world is one which affects even the monk in his cell. His life is devoted to that special ora et labora (prayer and work) that occupies life in a monastery. We ought not to think that a monastery "protects" or "insulates" its occupants from the world. Indeed, they are acutely aware of the wiles of the world, the flesh, and the devil - and have been at every period of history.

So too are we aware of the wiles of the world, the flesh, and the devil. While the world in our time confronts us with its particular problems, the flesh and the devil have never ceased, never varied, never eased in their wiles.

If we know our rules - at work, in our spiritual life - and simply follow them carefully, diligently, the world, the flesh, and the devil will have little opportunity to have their way with us. Our minds and our souls will be filled with our ora et labora. Our hearts, yearning to be grow closer to Christ, will help us along the way.

Of course, we rely on God's grace in all this. And that grace will be generous and forthcoming. During this Easter Season, it will come with all the glory of the Resurrection built in to "lift up our hearts."

May we all remain recollected in a special way during this glorious Season of Easter. Following our rules, with the help of God's grace, will clear the path that makes ample room for our Risen Lord to accompany us in our work.

Next time we'll see a specific example of rules that a saint has generously left for us to contemplate.

Happy Easter!