‘Pray and Work’: Glorious Montecassino Painting Brings St. Benedict Alive

“He should first show them in deeds rather than words all that is good and holy.” —St. Benedict 

Today is the feast of St. Benedict of Nursia in the pre-Pope Paul VI Catholic calendar. Benedict’s rule for monks became absolutely foundational to monasticism for more than a thousand years, not least because it was designed to be less demanding than many previous guidelines. Benedict thus made monasticism possible for individuals who might not be capable of the admirable but extremely difficult mortifications of, for instance, the desert hermits.

With the help of his sister St. Scholastica, Benedict founded Western monasticism, the monasticism that ultimately preserved and handed down ancient and medieval culture, both pagan and Christian, for future generations. Benedict’s rule and road to Heaven can be summed up in three simple words: “Ora et labora (pray and work).”

In 2020, just before COVID-19 lockdowns shut down the world, I had the great privilege of visiting St. Benedict’s Monte Cassino. One part of the cathedral I particularly remember is a magnificent painting of St. Benedict surrounded by saints and important historic figures who belonged to his order. The saint truly seemed to come alive and glow with the heavenly radiance his sanctity earned him.