09/06/2026
Labor Day weekend is a good time to reflect on something that’s been central to Benedictine life for nearly 1,500 years: work.
You may have heard the Benedictine phrase, Ora et Labora — “pray and work.” (The Sisters often joke that it should be “Ora et Labora, Labora, Labora!”) Along with prayer, community and hospitality, work is one of the foundational values of Benedictine life. St. Benedict devoted an entire chapter of his Rule to daily labor.
In Genesis, God places Adam in the Garden of Eden “to till it and keep it.” From the beginning, we were created with work to do. But in the beginning, work was not intended to be a burden. Only when Adam and Eve were exiled from the garden did work become difficult. And it has been challenging ever since.
For our Sisters, the nature of work has changed dramatically over the years. When the first Sisters arrived in Ferdinand in 1867, they came to teach. For generations, education was the primary work of our community.
Today, you’ll find our Sisters serving in all kinds of ways. They feed the hungry and serve the unhoused. They assist immigrants on the path to citizenship and serve as translators in the courts. They minister to abused and incarcerated women. They serve in parishes, offer retreats and provide spiritual direction. And yes, some still teach.
All of it is work. And all work is sacred.
That’s something worth remembering about our own work, especially when it’s difficult. Not every day is fulfilling. Some days feel more like “labora, labora, labora” than anything else.
Often what needs to change isn’t the nature of our work, but our own perspective. We grow most when we rise to a challenge. We become strongest when we do the hardest things. If we can recognize the normal difficulties of daily work as opportunities that God has provided us to become more the person we were made to be, we may find that work becoming more satisfying. We might even start to see it as a blessing.
And of course, God stands ready to help us through even the most difficult day if we simply remember to ask. “Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7) Even at work, peace is as close as a prayer.
There’s another lesson here, especially for those still figuring out what their life’s work might be. It’s been said that you should “follow your passion.” But it often works the other way around. When we discover the work God has uniquely equipped us for and called us to do, we almost always discover a passion for doing it. Our labor becomes a labor of love. It’s still work. But it’s work that feeds the soul.
One of the great privileges of our work as Sisters is praying for you. This Labor Day, we’ll be praying that you have an opportunity to rest from your own labors, enjoy the company of family and friends, and give thanks for the gifts God has given you to share with the world.
