By the Labor of Their Hands

Here’s one good sign of a monastic vocation: you’re not afraid to get your hands dirty! Well, alright—while there may be more to monasticism than sporting dirt under your fingernails, it is still a great feeling to dive into a little gardening project as a group of sisters working side by side.

St. Benedict did say, after all, that monks “live by the labor of their hands” (Rule of St. Benedict, Ch. 48). But we never go it alone! Two shovel the compost, two pull the weeds… and before you know it, the work is finished. At the end of the work period, we look around and say, “Wow! God is good!”

A few high-fives and a quick change later, you can find us side by side again—chanting the divine praises in church. Shoulder to shoulder we go to God, supporting each other along the way. For we strive to love him as individuals, to be sure, but rejoice that we can do it all together!