...work and prayer...

Many years ago I lived for 5 years in an English Benedictine Monastery as a young boy from age 13 to 18.  The benedictines were born in the 6th century during a time in Europe where moral life was declining and, as such, there was little support for a more disciplined way of life.  While Christians were living for the first time with diminishing attacks on their faith, this led to complacency in living the Christian life.  It was in this time that Benedict surfaced in search of a more disciplined way of life, and thus began the Benedictines.  Benedict was the person who coined the phrase for daily prayer as opus Dei, the work of God.  Benedict’s approach to prayer was to create a Rule for prayer that focused on reverence, humility, simplicity, and brevity in prayer.   Benedict also had a profound respect for silence in prayer, something that my years in the monastery certainly impacted my life.

In his Rule Benedict emphasize the dual life of work and prayer.  This too has impacted my life.

To work deliberately and to pray daily and to include silence in prayer are the two (2) necessary gifts of God for us all.  There is an unbreakable link between our work and our prayer, and if we work in the wrong way we will lose our attitude of prayer which in turn will impact our work.  The two (2) are indelibly linked.  The question becomes, then: How do we work and pray?  This question will touch our core until the moment we die.

To mature in life involves inevitably for us all to live in a pattern or rule of life that includes both authentic and deliberate work and prayer.  We must do all we can to incorporate into our daily life of work some quiet time of prayer.   That rhythm and cadence is necessary to progress and deepen our life in Christ.  In many ways we have Benedict to thank for this focused consideration of how to live our life.  Take time today to reflect on where you are today in your life regarding this essential rhythm of wrk and prayer.  Pray and make changes to further balance the two.

Lord Jesus Christ Son of the living God have mercy on me a sinner.

From the Bible:

“A just balance and scales are the Lord's; all the weights in the bag are his work”

Proverbs 16:11.

“Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” Philippians 4:5-6.

“Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” 1 Peter 5:7.

“Let me be weighed in a just balance, and let God know my integrity” Job 31:6!