“Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” Psalm 90:17

Good morning, Saints, and WELCOME BACK! I greet you each in the name of Jesus Christ, the Deliverer of God’s grace, truth, and salvation! I hope this finds you excitedly returning to a joyful reentry to the cadence of subtle fall drumbeat as we return to our academic pursuits in 2025-26. 

The Saints faculty and staff returned a week early for our annual meetings, which we affectionately refer to as our “August Summit.” This was our 19th Summit,   which, of course, kicked off our 19th academic year. I cherish the Annual Summit because it is when our Saints family, who have been away for a few months, gathers back together for a high-level focus on our mission: Proclaiming Jesus Christ Through Excellence in Education. Yes, we also have other important tasks to accomplish. Still, those are secondary to reminding ourselves what matters most, our mission, and the joy we have in serving that mission daily, along with our students at Crean Lutheran High School.

I also like that the August Summit is predictable, nothing new, and nothing fancy. Yes, we open in worship, explore our annual theme verse (Lamentations 23:22-23; more to come on that in future devotions), pray together, play together, work together, receive updates and important reminders, close in worship, and dial in our focus as we excitedly and joyfully prepare to receive back the students we love. To put it more concisely, we pray and we work! 

Recently, while reading an article, I was reminded of St. Benedictine’s influence in the late fifth century on the monastic life of the believer. Specifically, the Benedictine motto that is part of his life’s work is affectionately known as ora et labora or “pray and work.” This concept does not ultimately refer to two separate activities, but rather the integration of the two in and through all activities in the lifeblood of a Christian. A great motto to strive for daily. 

Benedictine stresses the renunciation (or rejection) of one’s own will, and equipping oneself “with the strong and noble weapons of obedience under the banner of the true king, Christ the Lord.” Benedictine importantly sets out to establish a “school for the Lord’s service” in which “the way to salvation” shall be taught…1

A Christian high school is not a monastery by design. Still, the concept St. Benedictine is championing here, ora et labora, is appropriate and should apply to our faculty, staff, coaches, students, and parents. Crean Lutheran High School’s mission falls under the banner of Christ our Lord; it calls for service and points to the light of salvation through Jesus Christ.

This direction doesn’t make “us” special; instead, it points to how God’s work is special. For it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose (Philippians 2:13). As we pray and work devotedly we are reminded that God prepared in advance this way of life as Ephesians reminds us, For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life (2:10).   

Ora et labora is uncommon in everyday life as the world views it. After all, in our modern culture, faith, life, and work are often confined to separate worlds. Yet, work and prayer are not meant to exist in isolation. They can flow together, be intertwined, and support and strengthen one another. Too often, work is viewed as a “four-letter word,” instead of a meaningful act that can bring joy to our Lord. Daily, as we work, we strive to love and serve one another while loving and serving our Lord. Deep satisfaction exists when a meaningful rhythm in our lives is established and we recognize who is the Keeper of our days, “the heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps (Proverbs 16:9).  

Praying and working allow us to trust our providential Lord as we accomplish the tasks set before us. Jesus reminds us in the book of  John,  “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (15:4-5). Saints, as we abide in Him this year, let us join together in praying and working (ora et labora), bearing fruit in the name of Jesus. Amen!

In Christ’s love and mine,

Dr. Jeffrey S. Beavers, CEO

Crean Lutheran High School

dr.beavers@creanlutheran.org

Dr. Beavers is a husband and father of three. He is a Minister of Religion, Commissioned in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, and serves as the Executive Director |CEO of Crean Lutheran High School. He has served there since the school’s founding for nineteen years. By God’s grace, he is blessed to be a lifelong follower of Jesus Christ. His family worships at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Orange, CA. 

References:

1RB 1980: The Rule of St. Benedict in Latin and English, trans. by Timothy Fry OSB (Liturgical Press, 1981), 229.