The Rhythm of Real Life
October 21, 2008
Ora et labora
… so says the great motto of the Benedictines. “Pray and work.” The life of the Benedictine is punctuated by a rhythm of praying through the Psalms coupled with a life of work. So often maligned for distancing themselves from the “real” world this group of praying monks and developing saints may be more in tune with the “real” than those of us robbed of their cloistered lifestyle.
More than any other time in history men and women have both the freedom and opportunity to escape the “real”. Whether it be through consuming media, acquiring wealth, or self-indulgent individuality the temptation to avoid the “real” is greater than ever. Beginning with the industrial revolution and bearing full fruit in today’s information age, humans have become increasingly separated from work within the natural world and, as a partial result, relationships with God and one suffer. Our careers suffer as well.
This “real” world includes the daily and mundane tasks of our work. Sometimes The press of our daily lives combined with the frustrations involved in our work can easily lead to cynical attitudes toward our careers. As this happens our careers and jobs are divorced from our spiritual lives. Work becomes a trial to endure rather than a place of meeting God.
Into this sterile experience breaks these words from the “Aidan Compline” in Celtic Daily Prayer:
May the virtue of our daily work
hallow our nightly prayers.
May our sleep be deep and soft
so our work be fresh and hard.
With these words we witness a reconnection between work, whether it be work in the field or the office, and the sacredness of prayer. The link between these two remind us that not only is prayer a sacred enterprise, our work is too. “May the virtue of our daily work…” (work is good, virtuous even?) “…hallow our nightly prayers.” Our work assists in making our prayers holy. No one denies that prayer is sacred, holy work. But let’s ask ourselves: can our work be sacred, a form of holy prayer?
Prayer leads us to our work where we can engage God’s world and people with a new love for both. Our work brings us back to prayer where our praying both deepens and enriches our work. Entering into a sacred rhythm of hourly prayer provides an arena for our prayer life and what is often the most mundane aspect of our daily life, our work, to touch and be transformed by the other.
This is the rhythm of real life. Ora et labora.
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5 Comments to “The Rhythm of Real Life”
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Paul, what a great word. Perhaps cultivating a daily rhythm of prayer can help us recognize the craziness of thinking some work is secular and some sacred. From time to time I hear people “called to ministry” say “oh I wish I didn’t have to work a secular job.” I am convicted daily of the absolute necessity of developing a rhythm, your post emphasizes yet one more reason.
You know this whole idea of sacred rhythm keeps us coming back to the same place. That is, rootedness in a specific place, commitment to a specific community. Sacred Rhythm keeps us from drifting too far off … from community, good work, and meaningful interaction with the world.
Paul,
Good word. Prayer as work! Work as prayer!
The key for me is to keep a balance most of time between the two. The Benedictines usually worked 6 hours, studied 4, and prayed the office 2. But all of it is a life of prayer (whatsoever you do in word or deed…). Of course, no kids and wife to relate to, lead, teach and everyday stuff.
I aspire to move in the direction of this kind of balance between the three for the years left for me.
Brad,
Calling in our circles is so misunderstood that is causes me some distress at times. One book that has helped me get a grip on calling is “The Call” by Os Guiness. He makes a distinction between Vocation and Avocation. All Christians share the same vocation: Life with God the Jesus Way. But avocation is different: some are teachers, others nurses, or plumbers, or preachers.
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