“Work times must be regulated and controlled within the context of the whole life and the rhythm of the entire day, which includes not only times for prayer, but also for food and rest.” The Rule of Benedict Monastics are not mystics who do nothing but pray, nor are they mendicants who beg for the necessities of life. Rather, monastics, as envisioned by the Rule of Benedict, are persons who live an integrated common life of praying, working and living together. Work is part of this integrated life since it enables monastics to support themselves and to avoid idleness. But work is to be integrated into the total monastic life. Work is not the primary purpose of the monastic life. Work is certainly not the main activity of the monastic day, according to the Rule. The Rule, nevertheless, is realistic about work. Work is a necessary part of human existence, for self-support, and to prevent idleness. The work schedule of the monastery may have to vary according to the seasons. At times, the monastics must work harder and longer hours than prescribed in the Rule, because of the economic conditions of the monastery, but work times must be regulated and controlled within the context of the whole life and the rhythm of the entire day, which includes not only times for prayer, but also for food and rest. Furthermore, the Rule indicates that on some occasions a monastic may have to work at some distance from the monastery. If a monastic is traveling or working far away and cannot return to the monastery for the prayer rhythm of the day, the monastic is still to keep this rhythm as much as possible. Work in the monastic context, is not for the purpose of self-fulfillment. Rather, it is for the support of the common life of the monastery. Work is the way in which monastics support and serve one another. Thus, whether a monastic is an official, a manual laborer, an artisan or a domestic laborer, the eye is not on self but on the common life: the working together to make the monastic life of love possible. Some principles concerning work From the Rule and tradition, there seem to emerge some principles which could be useful to help establish the rightful place of work within cenobitic life today. First, the basic principle is cenobitic living: a rhythm of life where persons, with a common vision and meaning actually live together and serve one another. Second, work is for mutual support and service within a particular monastery. Service to the larger Church and society is a result of this mutual support and service of monastics to one another. Third, economic survival cannot destroy the rhythm of cenobitic living since, even during such times of need, the Rule teaches that all things are to be done with moderation. If work becomes so primary and overbearing, the very life which the monastics are economically working for is destroyed by its non-observance. Fourth, it may be possible for some monastics to live the cenobitic life at the monastery yet work at daily jobs which are not at the monastery. Nevertheless, the jobs must be compatible with the monastic lifestyle. The jobs must be compatible with the ability to live, daily, the common life, including prayer, silence, private reflection and personal interactions. Conclusion Monasticism is, at times, described as countercultural. The description serves, not so much as judgment on society, but as an alternative way of viewing and living life. Perhaps today our society does need this countercultural alternative when it comes to issues like work. Monastics ought to help contemporary society see that a person’s true worth is not dependent upon social status, professional competency or earning power, which all seem to be derivative and driving forces of work. Rather, a person’s true worth is based upon the wonderful miracle he or she is as a unique gift of God. A monastic comes to the monastery to seek God, hopefully, and the result of this search should be that the monastic finds healing from brokenness, so that the monastic can move from focusing on self to focusing on God. It is then that the monastic discovers God to be a wonderful gift-giver, and that the gift is the very person seeking God. Used with permission |
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