Photo Source: http://perseiden.blogspot.com/2011/06/ora-et-labora.html
Most of my days are spent listening to people, or preparing myself to listen. On a one to one basis, I prefer listening than speaking. Now there are notable exceptions to this, such as when I know someone is hurting, grieving or needing to be lifted out of wherever they may be psychologically, and I tend to speak when in front of large groups.
The point I am getting to is that most of my work is mental, verbal and relational. What I seldom do anymore – unfortunately – is manual labor.
St. Benedict, as we all know, had the rule of life Ora et labora, that is Pray and work. The work he typically espoused was manual labor which is a form of labor in which creation is renewed, the human person is expressed as being in the image of God the creator of all, and balance is struck within the individual.
My earlier years were filled with manual labor: in the fields for hours, in the barns tending to livestock, repairing old vehicles (the only kind I could afford), keeping ahead of the lawn, etc. There was almost a 50-50 balance in my life between working and learning/praying/thinking/planning.
It was a very human experience in every way.
Nowadays, I have to plan on manual labor. It doesn’t just present itself as frequently. The demands of career, family, and diaconate consume huge amounts of time and energy. Mind you, it is all very good but I assure you but those times that do come every so often when manual labor is needed are welcomed. They bring a different sort of experience of the world that is all to often forgotten.
To work with one’s hands is a noble endeavor. Those who do it every day to earn their way in life possess a dignity we all need to acknowledge. They possess a knowledge that is necessary for the human experience. Their doing is a witness to the incarnational aspects of our faith. May I say it is “manly” in the sense it is provisional, protective and productive?
Today, I wish to honor all those who have gone before me having worked with their hands…. the many men and women in generations past and those present around us.
God bless them all.
