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Views from the Choir Loft

Arbeit Macht Frei

Fr. David Friel · September 4, 2012

I had the opportunity once to visit a Trappist monastery. The Trappists are members of the Cistercian order—a very strict group cloistered contemplative monastics, who follow a well-ordered regimen of life.

They come to chapel seven times a day to pray. In between their periods of prayer, they go about their work. Some of the monks work in the kitchen, others in the fields. Some of them make clothes or bread or candy or other things that could be sold to support the monastery. This is the difference between monks and friars; whereas friars beg for their sustenance, monks support themselves by the work of their hands. They put into practice St. Paul’s words to the Thessalonians: “We urge you, brothers . . . to work with your own hands” (1 Thes 4:10-11). In my short visit, I found the Trappist way of life to be a very healthy and beautiful balance of prayer and work.

This week’s secular holiday of Labor Day was created in the late 1800’s to celebrate the economic and social contributions of workers. There is surely much to be admired in good, honest work and in those who make a living by manual labor. Yet, at the same time, we Christians must be careful that work never becomes an idol for us. Especially as Americans, it’s easy for us to get on the hamster wheel of life by just working & working & working without end. But, contrary to the signs that hung above the gates of several concentration camps, work, alone, does not set us free. Only Christ can truly set us free.

So this is the key: We must introduce Christ into our labors. We must offer our labors to Him. Whether we are laborers or executives or students or retirees, all of us have the power to offer our daily tasks to God. That’s when the prayerful, stirring words of Psalm 90 start to transform us: “Lord, give success to the work of our hands” (Psalm 90:17b).

When we offer it to God, our work takes on incredible new value. This was the secret I observed at that Trappist monastery: work united with prayer (ora et labora) leads to a wonderful balance of life.

Opinions by blog authors do not necessarily represent the views of Corpus Christi Watershed.

Filed Under: Articles Last Updated: January 1, 2020

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About Fr. David Friel

Ordained in 2011, Father Friel served as Parochial Vicar at Saint Anselm Church in Northeast Philly before earning a doctorate in liturgical theology at The Catholic University of America. He presently serves as Vocation Director for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.—(Read full biography).

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Quick Thoughts

14 May 2022 • “Pure” Vatican Edition

As readers know, my choir has been singing from the “pure” Editio Vaticana. That is to say, the official rhythm which—technically—is the only rhythm allowed by the Church. I haven’t figured out how I want the scores to look, so in the meantime we’ve been using temporary scores that look like this. Stay tuned!

—Jeff Ostrowski
14 May 2022 • Gorgeous Book

If there is a more beautiful book than Abbat Pothier’s 1888 Processionale Monasticum, I don’t know what it might be. This gorgeous tome was today added to the Saint John Lalande Online Library. I wish I owned a physical copy.

—Jeff Ostrowski
Sound Familiar?

1 June 1579: “The chapter passes a rule that anyone ascending to the new organ without official permission shall be fined a month’s pay.”

26 October 1579: “The altar boys remain always separate and distinct from choirboys—the one group learning only plainchant and assisting at the altar, the other living with the chapel-master and studying counterpoint and polyphony as well. Father Francisco Guerrero postpones his departure for Rome and instead spends the entire year in Seville making ready for the trip. In the meantime he neglects his choirboys. On 16 November, after considerable complaint against their unruliness and ignorance, he engages an assistant, Bartolomé Farfán.”

—Jeff Ostrowski

Random Quote

The Council of Trent taught: “In this divine sacrifice which takes place at Mass, the same Christ is present and is immolated in an unbloody manner, Who once on the Cross offered Himself in a bloody manner. For the victim is one and the same, now offering through the ministry of priests, Who then offered Himself on the Cross; only the manner of offering is different” (Session XXII, cap. 2, Denzinger, n. 940).

— Pope Pius XII (2 November 1954)

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