Sept 4 – Laboring on Labor Day
In last week’s chapter talk Fr. Mark proposed picking apples as a form of common work to build relationships among the brothers. With Trappist Caskets employees observing the Labor Day holiday the monks took the opportunity to get out into the orchard and vineyard for a morning of manual labor in common.
Our cooks regularly use our apples for salads and desserts. Another brother makes apple butter that is a staple of our breakfast spread.
from The Rule of St. Benedict
Chapter 48: The Daily Manual Labor
They must not become distressed if local conditions or their poverty should force them to do the harvesting themselves. When they live by the labor of their hands, as our fathers and the apostles did, then they are really monks.