The Spirituality of St Philip 7: Work

The Spirituality of St Philip

Work

This is the most important means of practicing poverty in the Oratory. The members of the Congregation live by their own work, “miliant propriis stipendiis,” they live off their own incomes (General Constitutions n. 102).

Even work becomes a means of sanctification when it is understood as a way to fulfil the will of God, from whom everything comes. Wok is prayer, when it is done for the love of God; any kind of work, even the most humble. In fact, the most humble jobs were preferred by St Philip.

One day, Philip saw one of the Fathers taking too much time with pious exercises, while other, manual work needed to be done, so he sent one of the brothers with an apron to put around his neck, saying to him, “We must also work, leaving God for God.” “He encouraged his spiritual sons to avoid idleness as if it were plague; therefore, whenever one of his spiritual sons was with the Blessed Father, he put him to some sort of manual work, such as stringing rosaries, moving boxes, sweeping the rooms, making the bed or the like, or reading a spiritual book or the lives of the Saints, and Philip urged them always to be doing something and never be idle.”

The ancient Fathers taught that perseverance involves these three works: the Church, the Cell and the Office; that is: the administration of the Sacraments, especially confession, divine worship, and preaching; withdrawal from the world and personal mental and vocal prayer; and careful attention to the offices of the Congregation.