Working is a blessing and a privilege

Is work a dirty word? Although many revere the act of working, others shun the performance of work. As I drive around my town, I see numerous signs requesting help. From fast-food restaurants to retail stores, the need for employees is plentiful. Is work a curse or a blessing, we ask? As I read a book about Benedictine spirituality, recently, I was struck with awe at their view of work. Benedict believed that "people must live by the labor of their hands and that prayer and contemplation are no substitute for work. Neither are they an excuse to detach ourselves from our responsibility for making the world go around. Benedictine spirituality is concerned with, daily manual labor and the work of the hands, the kind of work that makes things happen."

The presence of the pandemic, COVID-19, has contributed to our, out of balance, work system presently. Although many can accomplish jobs at home, not all can, and some seem to have lost their dedication to the work ethic we used to have. Some still value the act of work, itself, but others seem to enjoy living without actually having to go out and contribute to the work force. We look forward to retirement, so often now, rather than feeling the pride of what we can still do with minds, bodies and our spirits, along the way. Due to the attitude that work is valued, only for money, many businesses are being forced to close, at least temporarily, because the establishments are unable to hire help. How sad and what a shame this is.

The Benedictine heart knows that" simply staying close to the mechanical functions of what it means to get through a day running the vacuum, washing the dishes, doing laundry, bathing children, and other duties, keeps us all aware of the struggles present in every area of life. Work is not simply work, it is to be good work, work that makes the world a better, more just, more fair and more humane place. Work is spiritual, not for punishing the body or to gratify the ego. It's about the bringing of the Reign of God on earth. "

I have always felt that it was an honor and a privilege to have a job--to know that I had something to offer for which an employer would pay me. I began, helping out on the family farm. The work was, often, grueling, hot and tiring, but I felt a sense of pride, particularly when I could spend the money I had earned. My brother and I weren't always paid, materially, but we knew our parents needed our help, in order, to bring the crops in. I then advanced to babysitting, and other positions, as I grew in age and education. I still feel a specialness when I can contribute something to making the world a better place. I feel like "I'm good for something." Work is a journey towards self-fulfillment.

I stayed at a Benedictine monastery, while working on my Spiritual Direction Degree, a few years back. I loved the atmosphere and hospitality of the sisters, there. Along with their gracious and welcoming hospitality, I was impressed by the menial jobs they performed. Whatever needed to be done was done by the nuns, there. The sisters used a variety of skills they possessed, believing that everyone was different. They were given the opportunity to choose a job for which they felt suited and would enjoy doing. Some gardened and some contributed as massage therapists, spiritual mentors or through another skill. I caught my breath, one day, as I saw a sister hastily running up the hall with a broom in her hand. She was slapping at the wall, floors and other parts of the monastery, with the weapon. She was attempting to chase a bat from the building. My admiration soared towards her! The nuns acted as if nothing was below them in the line of work.

Humans are doers. We are always doing something. In fact our lives are often compared with the lives of the ant. They are always milling around, busy in excess. We all need to fill our time with something that makes us feel useful.

Any good work is valuable. Work teaches responsibility, connects you to other people, produces endurance, provides money and increases self-esteem, to name a few of its benefits. Work is, indeed a blessing and a privilege. We gain far more from the doing of work than the work itself, even though what we do may seem unimportant to us.