The Gethsemani monks make fruitcake and various flavors of fudge all year. In December, most of that production often goes out the door in a few weeks. This year proved to be no exception as Gethsemani Farms sold out of many items.
Every able-bodied monk helps out in the shipping. Gethsemani does not hire anyone to do this work – Gethsemani Farms products are made, packaged, boxed, labelled, and handed off to the Post Office entirely by the monks.
This year, Fr. Lawrence made a short video showing a typical day in the shipping department. During one of his Advent homilies, he noted, “There is a space on each label for a customized message, if the customer wants one. The most common word in these messages is ‘love.'”
As Fr. Lawrence pointed out, it is a privilege for the monks that the work of their hands can be not only a means of income, but also the link between people showing their love for one another.
