Sr. Susan Marie Lindstrom
 

“Bless our work, O God, for what is life if we do not serve you? Morning , noon and night, we offer you our prayer.  This work of the soul lends spirit to the work of our hands.”
- Sr. MarySue Freiberger, OSB -

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“Ora et Labora,” prayer and work, is a well-known motto of the Benedictines. When we pray, we are doing the work of God. Prayer, in turn, leads us to work, to use our gifts to better the world, Work then draws us back to prayer to be strengthened and grounded. Prayer and work create an ebb and flow in monastic life.

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In our community of forty-five, as in any family, there is always work to be done. Rather than viewing work as a burden, Benedict invites us to see it as a means of enriching and developing life at all levels.

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“They are truly monks when they live by the labor of their hands as did our fathers and the Apostles.” (Rule 48:8) Each sister engages in work that helps maintain our home, our sense of community, and our outreach. Ordinary tasks such as washing dishes, tending the garden, filling salt and pepper shakers, or folding laundry keep things running smoothly. Writing retreat talks, giving presentations to school or parish groups, and helping at St Vincent de Paul or our local food pantry keeps us engaged with our local community.

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Work is so much more than what we DO or how we earn a living. Work is a doorway that leads to a deepening relationship with God and all of God’s creation. In the words of Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB, “Work is my gift to the world. It is my social fruitfulness. It ties me to my neighbor and binds me to the future. Work is the way I am saved from total self-centeredness. It gives me a reason to exist that is larger than myself. It gives me hope.”