tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48330890881858633952023-11-15T07:55:00.273-08:00The Tiniest HermitFr. Bjorn Drakken-Schultz, OES, Abbot. Find out more about OES at <a href="http://eremiticservants.org"> www.eremiticservants.org</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-64720421355700789792018-09-17T15:28:00.000-07:002018-09-17T15:28:38.506-07:00Grief and The Monastic Life<p>Many things can happen over the course of our lives that can cause us grief. The loss of a loved one, the end of a romantic relationship, or drastic changes in our lives are all things that likely have grief attached to them.</p><p>So how does the modern day monastic process grief in a way that is conducive to one’s mental health, as well as being able to move beyond grief to a place of joy?</p><p>Let’s start with the most basic element of a monastic life, prayer. A solid prayer practice is the cornerstone of any monastic observance. If we are rooted in the practice of prayer, we have a stable foundation which allows us to explore and process our emotions while simultaneously turning them over to our higher power for healing. </p><p>Another practice which can help a monastic move through grief is meditation. The quieting of our scattered minds allows us to observe and identify muddled feelings and emotions, and to name the things that may be burued beneath anger, sadness and confusion.</p><p>One practice that I can not stress enough for dealing with grief is forgiveness. A monastic ought to readily work toward forgiveness whenever possible. Harboring resentments only serves to hold us back from the work of learning to live in love; it can also make us extremely bitter and cause divisive behaviors to take root in our lives. Working toward forgiveness means that we choose to be merciful so that we can know peace.</p><p>Finally, honesty is key when taking on the process of moving through grief. Being honest with ourselves is good form, but it also allows us to see things as they are and not as we want them to be. Honesty with others allows us to reach out for help when it is needed, and shows that we are worthy of trust and honesty from others. </p><p>When these things are combined as part of one’s daily monastic practice, the way through change and grief can become plainly clear. It is my hope that each of you would consider these practices as essential to your monastic expression not simply because they make for a good roadmap through difficult emotions, but because they point the way to love, which the world needs more of.</p><p><br></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-13789153038590616562018-07-26T15:02:00.000-07:002018-07-30T21:33:54.772-07:00Nature and Soul Care<p>For me, there is something healing about nature. I went camping recently for the first time in many years and I came back a new person.<p></p></p><p>Being quiet and enjoying the sounds of nature, I could hear more clearly the things that my soul was crying out for. I spent time bonding with my dog, swimming in a hot spring, relaxing by the fire and sleeping under the stars (in my tent). All of these things were healing for me, and I am grateful for the blessings that nature has bestowed upon me.</p><p>The natural beauty of the woods is also healing for me. The wild animals going about their business, picking wild huckleberries, enjoying an afternoon nap and staying up into the night to visit with family around the fire all made room for me to process the feelings that I am experiencing, and allowed me to move through some of them with ease.</p><p>Nature also allowed me to see and love myself as I am. The sense of peace that can be found in the wilderness is amazing. I highly recommend taking some time out to experience the blessings of nature and the peace that it’s quietness brings.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-18463635871519424882018-07-17T13:38:00.000-07:002018-07-17T13:38:12.039-07:00Humility and Self Confidence <p>There is a big difference between humility and putting oneself down. Humility asks us to recognize that we are reliant on one another and on our higher power for our social and spiritual wellbeing. It also asks us to view ourselves as stewards of the world around us as well as the people in our lives.<p></p></p><p>We must take great care not to confuse humility and feelings of worthlessness or being less than another; we are all worthy of dignity, love and respect. This is not haughtiness, rather it is a healthy form of self confidence.</p><p>Humility requires gratitude and honest self examination. Knowing in one’s heart that each of us are servants and stewards of the world around us and the people in our lives while maintaining healthy boundaries and self-confidence can be tricky. It may help to remember that each one of us are the beloved children of our Creator and recognizing our talents without being grandiose or boastful are great ways to both have healthy humility and healthy self-confidence.</p><p>It is my belief that in order for healthy humility to flourish, each of us must work to cultivate charity, love, self-examination and self-acceptance. All of these things pave the way for a humility that is neither self-depreciating or attention seeking. Both of these things represent false humility and must be diligently guarded against.</p><p>In closing I would ask each of you to examine honestly your relationship with humility. There is always room for improvement in this department and by having a healthy kind of humility, we improve the wold around us.</p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-18051034365652544092018-07-11T11:49:00.000-07:002018-07-11T11:51:25.219-07:00Gratitude and JoyOne of the core practices of any monastic life is that of gratitude. The regular practice of taking inventory of and recognizing all that we have to be grateful for is one of the direct causes of a deep and abiding joy in our lives.<br />
<br />
The monastic practice of gratitude is not just about giving thanks for all that is going right in the life of the monastic. Things such as change, emotion and life experience are all causes for the monastic to give thanks, but these are not always positive things. Change can be painful, emotions can be uncomfortable and life experiences that shape who we are can be troublesome. Giving thanks for both good and happy things as well as difficult things is a discipline that takes time to master, just as any monastic discipline takes time to accomplish effectively.<br />
<br />
On the front page of the OES website is a video from TED concerning joy and gratitude. The monk, David Steindl-Rast lists a few things that mark what we ought to be grateful for, and the thing that sticks out for me is that anything that I didn't earn is something I ought to be grateful for (this covers a great many things in my life).<br />
<br />
So, dear readers, I encourage you to take stock of all the things in your life that you have to be grateful for. Take time out of your day to inventory and then give thanks for what you believe is a gift, even for menial things like the meals you eat. You may find that over time, you are more joyful by default.<br />
<br />
If you'd like to watch the video about joy and gratitude, it can be found under our "Featured Faith Talks" section on the homepage at <a href="http://eremiticservants.org/">http://eremiticservants.org</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-25383214419804564442018-04-29T16:33:00.003-07:002018-04-30T11:04:10.627-07:00The Only Constants To the untrained eye, the monastic life seems full of constant, unchanging things. The cycle of "pray, eat, work" is a visible anchor to every monastic as is one’s unchanging day to day wear, if one chooses to wear the monastic habit.<br />
<br />
But, if you were to metaphorically peel back the outer layers as if you were peeling an onion, the only real constants in a sincerely lived monastic life are God and change.<br />
<br />
Each of us is called daily, through our prayer and work, to change and to grow both in spirit and in character, into the person that our Creator intended us to be. This often means venturing outside of our comfort zones into new and uncharted territory, to a place where vulnerability and uncertainty reign supreme.<br />
Even as I write this, change is in full force in my life. I’m in the process of moving from the place that has served as my hermitage for over three years, to a place I am familiar with but do not consider my home. My long term relationship is taking its dying breaths and I will be taking on a vow that I have not professed since 2006 - the vow of celibacy.<br />
<br />
I’m inclined to think that my Creator has life lessons in store for me. That despite my best efforts to resist growing in the direction I am going, the Spirit has found a way, yet again, to turn things on their head and to instruct my heart in things yet unlearned.<br />
<br />
I fully intend to approach this new phase of my life with curiosity and open-mindedness, in hopes that these attitudes will make the lessons I am due to learn as painless as possible. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-42414613894972085942018-03-11T18:50:00.001-07:002018-03-11T18:50:10.096-07:00From Two Years Ago TodayThe tiniest hermit:<br />
<br />
I see my own prayers as small on the grand scale of the prayers that fall on the ears of God. Tiny chirps from a speck of dust.<br />
<br />
Yet, I know they are heard, because they are answered. Maybe not on the
schedule I wish them to be, but all of them are eventually answered.<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
<br />
It is not for this selfish reason that I pray, although I know that
God, in It's grace hears my tiny prayers, but that I might through
prayer ease a tiny amount of another's suffering; lift a broken soul,
comfort an aching heart or maybe even change a life for the better. <br />
<br />
The thought of all of this imparts to me the smallest glimpse the
sweetest joy of union with my God, if only for a single, tiny moment.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-7059891981250806842018-02-28T11:15:00.000-08:002018-02-28T11:15:28.854-08:00A Holy ObservanceLent and Advent are my favorite liturgical seasons. Lent more so because of its message of hope in the mercy of God, Who is loving and merciful to any who would ask.<br />
<br />
I do not "give up" things for Lent; I take on new practices such as more prayer, acting with a stricter decorum, and doing more kindness for others. The things I do my best to abstain from are anger, jealousy (which is a huge stumbling block for me), and bitterness.<br />
<br />
This year my goal for Lent is to deepen my monastic practice. I have taken on an extra daily prayer office which is done in silence in the middle of the night. By doing so I hope to gain a deeper reverence for my own monastic practice, as well as to join those monks and nuns who are more austere in their communal practices of prayer.<br />
<br />
I have also taken on more solitude, in hopes that the silence I experience will lead me closer to the heart of the Creator, also known as Carmel, so that I might find the deep and resounding joy that many others have experienced in this way. As I mentioned in an earlier post, loneliness can be transformed into holy solitude through prayer and meditation, and if we have faith in a Divine Being, we are never truly alone.<br />
<br />
I share all of this with you, dear readers, so that you might also find hope during this season the spiritual desert. Be glad and give thanks for even the smallest things in your life, for gratitude leads to joy.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-12137252501341764192018-01-27T05:21:00.001-08:002018-01-27T05:22:09.511-08:00A Strange Set of VowsThe community to which I belong is bound by three vows: Simplicity, Listening and Stewardship. These are not the traditional monastic vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience, but are important to our community in the same way that the more traditional vows are honored by other monastic orders.<br />
<br />
Our vow of listening begins and ends in being able to observe silence and holy solitude. This vow dictates that we listen for the will of our Creator in our lives, that we listen to our own consciences, and that we listen earnestly to those who are in need of a friendly ear.<br />
<br />
The last part of this vow is especially important to us. Being able to listen with sincerity instead of simply remaining silent in wait for our turn to speak is counter-cultural in this day and age. Authentically hearing someone who is in distress builds trust between those involved in the conversation, and it can alleviate suffering in a small way. The first word of the Rule of St. Benedict is "listen", and I believe that this is no accident. The act of listening is a good and holy thing for all monastics as well as secular people, and is largely a lost art in the age of smart phones and "me, my, I" attitudes.<br />
<br />
The vow of simplicity is similar to the vow of poverty, however I feel is it a little more practical for a dispersed community. When our homes become our hermitages, we go through a process of simplifying our lives in order that we may focus on prayer and action rather than things. We keep what is practical for our day to day needs, but we declutter things that are not needed such as a large amount of secular clothing for those that choose to wear the monastic habit. When our environments are free from clutter, we are able to focus our attention to prayer, meditation, or service to others rather than objects which distract us from our work as monastics.<br />
<br />
The vow of stewardship is one that is a bit more complicated. This vow dictates that we care for the people in our lives, our personal health, and the environment in which we live. Actions such as reducing the amount of garbage we generate is one example; caring for a sick friend or relative is another. Stewardship keeps us accountable for our actions or for inaction, and demands that we act with care for ourselves, our neighbors, and our world.<br />
<br />
Lastly, there is an unspoken custom of obedience in the community to which I belong. This means obedience to our Creator, to our Abbot and to our consciences. While obedience is not a vow in and of itself, it is a monastic discipline that has been around as long as there have been monks and nuns.<br />
<br />
For example, in "The Sayings of the Desert Fathers", there is a tale of an Abbot who tells one of his monks to go and water a dead branch. The monk does so day after day, and eventually the branch bears fruit, which the monk brings back to share with his fellow monks. The Abbot invites them to eat it by saying "come and eat the fruit of obedience".<br />
<br />
We do not blindly follow the orders of a controlling overlord. We rely heavily on the practice of discernment and community dialogue. Fairness is an important factor when the Abbot makes a decision to be followed. The same can not be said for the will of our creator and our own consciences; there is very little gray area involving obedience in these ways.<br />
<br />
I invite you to reflect on how these vows might impact your life were you to profess them, and to comment below with your findings.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-57422600354569429682017-11-30T17:29:00.001-08:002017-11-30T17:29:41.780-08:00The Monastic Habit<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-f566a76e-0fad-09eb-ed3d-540bf3e19e61" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Many people recognize a worker by what clothes they wear. For example, a railroad engineer wears a distinct uniform, and nearly everyone knows them by the uniform they wear. The same can be said for monks and nuns; we wear a very distinct kind of clothing that identifies us as vowed religious. While not everyone knows what our clothes represent, many people recognize the monastic habit and are curious about the person wearing it.</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The habit is intended to be a sign of simplicity. Many monks and nuns do not own secular clothing, and thus rely on the habit as their daily wear. For the dispersed monk or nun, the habit is optional, however many choose to wear it over secular clothing. For many it provides the same simplicity as the cloistered monk or nun. Those who wear the habit do not need to spend time picking out their clothes for the day, and likewise do not need to impress anyone with the holy clothing that they wear.</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The habit is NOT intended to be worn as an item of social status or to attract attention to one’s self. Wearing a habit for these reasons demeans the nature of the cloth, and only serves to boost the ego of the person wearing it.</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The habit IS meant to bring about humility in the person wearing it; the simplicity and unflattering nature of a monastic habit ought to bring a person down to earth and enforce the idea that the person wearing it belongs to their Creator and not to a social club or particular status of ego.</span></div>
<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In closing, I would like to challenge any of you who wear the monastic habit to examine your intentions when it comes to wearing it. Do you seek the praise and curiosity of those around you, or do you seek to serve as a witness to the love of, and total belonging to your Creator?</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-4796519120084824042017-10-21T18:09:00.002-07:002017-10-22T07:39:27.482-07:00Loneliness Vs. Holy SolitudeThe life of a hermit, or any monk or nun for that matter, can be lonely. The call to solitude and silence can be ominous, especially for the novice monastic. At this point in my monastic career, I have become accustomed to solitude and silence, however that does not mean that I do not still get lonely from time to time.<br />
<br />
I will admit that it has taken me many, many years to convert my loneliness into holy solitude. This is done through prayer and meditation, as well as talking candidly with my spiritual director about my monastic way of life and the ups and downs it brings into my life.<br />
<br />
The Rule of St. Benedict teaches that a monk or nun is always be praying, whether it is during liturgical prayer (such as the Divine Office), manual labor, Lectio Divina (also called Sacred Reading) or while doing a craft such as painting or knitting, prayer is to always be at the heart of what a person is doing.<br />
<br />
This teaching has helped me greatly concerning loneliness vs. holy solitude. The more often I pray, the less lonely I am. I believe this is because in prayer, we are joined to the heart of God, which connects us to everything in Creation. <br />
<br />
The community to which I belong in dispersed, meaning we live apart from one another. To add to that, there are great distances between us, with some of us in the United States, some in Canada, one in the Dominican Republic and one in Egypt. We don't exactly get to have face-to-face fellowship, so we chat online or over the phone instead.<br />
<br />
Even though these channels of communication are always open to us, we don't always use them. I believe this is because of our vocation as hermits is to seek out solitude and silence, rather than chatting just to fill the empty spaces in our day. This is as it should be for hermits.<br />
<br />
In closing, I would invite each of you to take 10 minutes out of your day to be completely alone and completely silent. This includes silence from your smartphones and other electronic devices. With practice, you may find that your outlook on life is more tempered and calm.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-14942432879998261612017-09-23T11:48:00.000-07:002017-09-23T11:54:54.171-07:00Compassionate Listening<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">The
following is a talk given by Fr. Bjorn at the Lewis-Clark Center for
Spiritual Living.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">May
the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be always a
reflection of the loving spirit of God, our stronghold and our
teacher.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">The
following is a poem by Christina Rossetti that my teacher read to me
when I was in 2nd grade. I have carried it with me since then, and
often reflect on its meaning.
I invite you to take a few moments and reflect on what it might mean
to you, and what it might teach us about listening for the still,
small voice God in our lives.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
<span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">Who
has seen the wind? Neither I nor you,</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">but
when the leaves hang trembling,</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">the
wind is passing through.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">Who
has seen the wind? Neither you, nor I.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">But
when the trees bow down their heads,</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">the
wind is passing by.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">It
is an honor to be here among you; I offer my sincerest thanks on
behalf of both myself and the monastic community to which I belong
for the welcoming environment
and the sincere connections that we have found here.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">Within
this sacred space, we come together to celebrate the movement of God
in our lives and the lives of those around us. It has been a great
source of joy and learning
to me, to experience the genuine gratitude and fellowship shared in
this space; my deepest self finds rest, refreshment and new ways of
thinking each time
I join with you in celebration of the great gifts we share.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">I
have observed that many, if not most of us have come to find some
level of comfort with silence, and have experienced a place of
stillness in which we are able
to hear the voice of the Spirit that instructs us in the ways of
love, self-discovery and profound internal growth.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">The
practice of mindful listening that is cultivated by our encounters
with silence is near and dear to my heart. In order to nurture the
kind of understanding that nourishes
my spirit and enables me to carry out the tasks I am called to do, I
must begin from a place of stillness and strive to maintain an
attitude of listening as
I attend to the work set before me.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">In
the same way, each of us are called to seek out that place of
stillness where the Spirit moves freely and awakens us to our own
ability to be a conduit of</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">God’s
loving presence in the lives of those around us.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">This
does not mean that we should seek to convert others to our own ways
and ideas about how we encounter God in our lives; such actions and
attitudes are nothing more than self-service, which naturally leads
to the exclusion of some who bear the greatest need for a profound
encounter with the love that we know as
God in their lives.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">The
kind of service I am talking about springs up like water drawn from a
deep well; a well that, within each of us, is filled with a kind of
refreshment that never runs dry.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">From
this pure and sacred place, we can find the tools needed for the work
set before us, which is the work of compassionate listening. The most
sacred attribute of this well is that the more we draw from it with
the intention of freely sharing the gifts it bestows upon us, the
more refreshing and plentiful it becomes, and is more readily shared
with us, providing sanctuary and solace to our deepest and innermost
selves.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">There
have been times in each of our lives where, in the face of great
challenges, uncertainty or amidst the burdens of suffering that it
may seem as if no one can hear the words, whether spoken or silent,
that convey our deepest desires, which are to love and be loved, and
to know and be known.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">It
may seem as if some of the people around us are simply biding their
time in wait for their turn to speak; hearing our words but never
our voice. This kind of insincerity
can be devastating to a soul in suffering.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">We
must, therefore, be diligent in cultivating an attitude of listening
that allows us to hear the true voices of those around us, which in
turn allows for a profound communication
that comes from a place of unadulterated compassion. </span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">We
must be mindful to the way we listen if we are to cultivate listening
that is more than simply waiting for our turn to speak. Put your
wandering thoughts and distractions aside and be present with the
person who is in need of your ears.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">These
kinds of connections nourish us; they provide us with glimpses of
affirmation on our paths toward a Godly state of being. This kind of
profound nourishment can be easily seen if we take the time to look
for it, both on an individual, as well as a collective level.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">It
is this form of connected awareness that can help guide us through
the fog that clouds our ability to move through the suffering in our
lives. In the same way, it can
instruct us in the ways of guiding those around us who are
overwhelmed by the suffering they experience.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">I
have a deep conviction that many, if not all of the great teachers
throughout history, when speaking of loving one another as God loves
us, had this kind of honest connection to our innermost state of
being in mind.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">Over
the coming days, I encourage you to recall the meaning that the words
spoken here today convey to your heart, and observe the ways in which
you respond
to the truth that you have found in your practice of listening.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 138%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">May
the abundant peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your
hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, that you may be a witness
to the awesome love of God in the world.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="color: #eeeeee;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-73743920145323446072017-09-20T11:04:00.002-07:002017-09-23T11:49:08.816-07:00The Modern HermitIn ancient times, men and women would move out into the wilderness, living in caves or small structures that they had built for themselves and observing a life of prayer, silence, fasting and sacred reading. These people were known as the Desert Fathers and Mothers, and they were the first recorded Christian monastics.<br />
<br />
Their hermitages or clusters (also known as a Laura) were often visited by pilgrims seeking wisdom and those seeking to take on the eremitic life for themselves. Newcomers would be tested to see if they could handle the often harsh conditions of this way of monastic life, and many would fail. For more about the Desert Fathers and Mothers, see "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Desert-Fathers-Mothers-Sayings_Annotated-Illuminations/dp/1594733732/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1505596707&sr=8-6&keywords=desert+fathers" target="_blank">Desert Fathers and Mothers</a>".<br />
<br />
Today hermits live a very different lifestyle than their earlier predecessors. Many hermits nowadays live in cities, with their homes serving as their hermitages. Some work secular jobs while others are retired or disabled, but all of them share in a holy solitude as much as is possible given their circumstances.<br />
<br />
Very few modern hermits receive visitors. Some belong to religious orders that are dispersed (meaning they live apart from one another), and some are simply solitaries who have professed monastic vows. Whatever the case may be, they all share in the historic life of prayer, meditation, solitude, study, and work.<br />
<br />
I myself belong to a small dispersed community. I have the luxury of living out in the country in a rented house that serves as my monastic enclosure, which I do not leave unless it is absolutely necessary (for reasons such as procuring groceries or doctors appointments). I am disabled, so I am free to devote all of my time to the monastic life. The gentle rhythm of pray, eat, and work dictates my days, and there is a high level of environmental silence with the exception of the noise from the farm on which my house sits.<br />
<br />
In some ways, the life of the modern hermit is much, much easier than that of the desert fathers and mothers, and in some ways it is more difficult. Holy solitude and environmental silence are hard to find if you live in a city, and for many modern hermits, secular work is necessary for their sustenance.<br />
<br />
Whatever the life circumstances of the modern hermit may be, the driving force of their vocation is the same: a deep and consuming desire to serve their Creator.<br />
<br />
Question for reflection: How might I better serve my Creator?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-29522494610306279392017-09-20T10:40:00.001-07:002017-11-11T04:31:42.869-08:00How to Love Your Neighbor<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="4vhrc-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="4vhrc-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="4vhrc-0-0"><span data-text="true">In yesterday's fellowship hour, we were reminded by novice Br. Elisha Therese that we are called to love. This means loving our Creator, ourselves and our neighbors, and praying for those who would harm us.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="cemg6-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="cemg6-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="cemg6-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="al88s-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="al88s-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="al88s-0-0"><span data-text="true">When I consider what would drive a person do to a hateful and evil thing, I wonder how badly such a person has been wounded in their life, and how much pain and suffering they carry around with them, most times without even knowing it. It makes me very sad to think that some people carry such burdens and that the only way they know how to deal with them is to lash out at others, in fear and anguish.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="48lfp-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="48lfp-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="48lfp-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="bu13u-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="bu13u-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="bu13u-0-0"><span data-text="true">When I look at the world at large, I see the same anguish and hatred being perpetuated repeatedly, in many different forms such as the fight for equal rights, access to healthcare, starvation, and most especially war, both for profit and for religious ideals.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="7raqd-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="7raqd-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="7raqd-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="pmgm-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="pmgm-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="pmgm-0-0"><span data-text="true">I often ask myself how to bandage the wounds of the world. The answer is quite simple in logic, but very difficult in its execution; to cultivate peace and act with love.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="da8ni-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="da8ni-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="da8ni-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="ecpm3-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="ecpm3-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="ecpm3-0-0"><span data-text="true">You're probably thinking, how do we do such a thing in the midst of all of this hatred?</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="kdik-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="kdik-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="kdik-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="2dvdj-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2dvdj-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="2dvdj-0-0"><span data-text="true">Every small act of kindness cultivates peace, whether it is a smile, holding the door for someone or providing ears to hear them; these small acts cultivate both inner and outer peace in us and the people we come into contact with.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="2i0ra-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2i0ra-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="2i0ra-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="4pi-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="4pi-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="4pi-0-0"><span data-text="true">So, the first step toward following our Creator's command to love is to seek peace, first within ourselves, second within our communities and third in the world at large. Love will naturally follow, but we must work harder at loving one another than simply being nice to one another.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="de8jp-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="de8jp-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="de8jp-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="e2efn-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="e2efn-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="e2efn-0-0"><span data-text="true">Loving one another is a great beast to slay; people always seem to be trying their best to resist both the love of their creator and the love given to them by their fellow human beings. It is my belief that this is caused by a cultural programming of "you're not good enough, rich enough or pretty enough unless you buy the right car, smoke the right cigarette and believe in the right image of God".</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="6brah-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6brah-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6brah-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="8laj7-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8laj7-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="8laj7-0-0"><span data-text="true">It takes much, much more work to love a person than to simply make peace with them. But this the work that has been set before us by our Creator, and must be attended to with the same enthusiasm as seeking peace.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="6b6vn-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6b6vn-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6b6vn-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="b4j7c-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="b4j7c-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="b4j7c-0-0"><span data-text="true">As monastics, we spend our lives learning to do this single task. Because of our dedication to learning to love as God loves, other fruits of the spirit spring up naturally and with seemingly great ease. For example, I do not debate on whether to open a door for, or to smile at a stranger, I simply do it because it is the peaceful and loving thing to do.</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="2pm5r-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2pm5r-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="2pm5r-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="fdaek-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="fdaek-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="fdaek-0-0"><span data-text="true">But what about those who have wronged us? What do we do with the people who have hurt us so badly that we find it nigh impossible to truly forgive them, let alone love them?</span></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="2nm54-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="2nm54-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="2nm54-0-0"><br data-text="true" /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="379r9" data-offset-key="6pemf-0-0">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6pemf-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6pemf-0-0"><span data-text="true">We are taught through the Gospels that we are to pray for them and to offer them the peace of God. Their actions are a reflection of their heart. As I mentioned before, a person who does an evil or hurtful thing must be hurting inside, and so we must pray for our Creator to heal them. If we approach the situation from this point of view, forgiveness is not only possible, but it becomes easy.</span></span><br />
</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6pemf-0-0">
</div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="6pemf-0-0">
<span data-offset-key="6pemf-0-0"><span data-text="true">I encourage you to take ten minutes each day and reflect on who is hurting in your life. You can probably guess correctly if you look for the warning signs; anger, manipulative, judgemental and dishonest behaviors, and gossip, just to name a few. These are the people who need forgiving, who need love, who thirst for peace.</span></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-19083082946756008252017-09-14T08:35:00.003-07:002017-09-22T09:22:05.655-07:00The Attitude of Silence<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If you have ever visited a monastery, it is likely that one of the first things you notice about it is that it is usually completely silent. From the way people greet each other to the way people walk, there is a quiet reverence within the walls of the monastic buildings and around the grounds of the monastery as well.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For some, this level of environmental quiet brings a peaceful interior rest, while for others, it is more than a little unsettling. This level of silence can quiet our fears and refresh our souls, but it can also stir up a small amount of terror or make our thoughts nearly deafening within us.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">At this point in your formation, you ought to have become acquainted, and to some level, comfortable with environmental silence. This should apply to both to speaking and technological devices; each of us should have at least one period of total environmental silence each day.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But what about the noises we can’t control? The birds will continue to chirp, household appliances buzz off and on and for those of you who live in metropolitan areas, you have the noise of passing cars, busy people and a long list of other possible noises.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">This is where our attitudes come into the spotlight. Having an “attitude of silence” isn’t just about being quiet despite a noisy environment. In order to effectively maintain your interior silence in the midst of environmental noise, you must learn to keep the noise from being an annoyance. </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When we are annoyed it is easy to slip into a state of anger, which can easily disrupt our decorum. Being annoyed also makes it easy to be confrontational, argumentative, bitter and uncharitable toward others. So, how do we attain the kind of interior silence that lets us be at peace despite noise? </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. It can probably be said for certain that none of us have achieved the level of silence needed to be perfectly at peace in the midst of noise. It can also be said that developing and attitude of interior quietness will go a long way toward ensuring decorum is kept and a joyful outlook is within our reach.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Many years ago, I found myself on retreat at a hermitage in the middle of the Texas desert. The</span></span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">superior of that community, during one of our spiritual direction chats, articulated to me that in order for her to truly reach a contemplative state, that there needed to be perfect environmental silence around her.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">At the time, I agreed with her. Of course silence on an environmental level was necessary for contemplation. How could it happen any other way? I was still a very green 26 years old at the time, and had yet to truly experience the inner stillness of which she spoke.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">She further articulated to me that when there was not perfect silence around her, that it wore on her nerves, sometimes to the point of bringing her to tears. Friends, this holy woman is not the only person to tell me this story, and I have been guilty of acting it out myself from time to time.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Now that I am older, I look back on this shared moment between myself and the good Superior of that hermitage, and I think to myself, “well, that’s just silly.” </span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">You see the enclosure in which I currently find myself is quite remote, and even out here there is rarely perfect environmental silence. Birds chirp, dogs bark, sheep bleat, the wind blows and the house creaks and settles. Even though I do enjoy a high level of environmental silence, it is far from perfect.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">It has since occurred to me that, where contemplative prayer, personal silence and monastic discipline are concerned, it is the personal intention to be quiet that matters more than environmental silence. I like to call this “the attitude of silence”, because it is the intention of the person to be silent, rather than the situation that they find themselves in that provokes silence within them.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">So, let the birds sing, the house creak and the wind blow. These things are beyond our control anyway, so there is little use in getting upset because they infringe on your perfect silence. Harbor the attitude of silence and I guarantee that you will find yourself just as still and satisfied as those who do enjoy perfect environmental silence.</span></span></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-41449500274266443182017-09-10T05:39:00.001-07:002017-09-23T11:05:07.993-07:00The Lover vs. The DictatorA Franciscan priest who I am a great fan of, Fr. Richard Rohr, said something that struck a
chord deep within me. He said:
“Those who know God well - mystics, hermits, prayerful people, those who risk everything to
find God - always meet a lover, not a dictator.”<br />
<br />
This statement spurred me toward a line of thinking that led me to several questions, the first
being, “In my life, how much am I willing to risk to truly encounter the Spirit”, and subsequently,
“am I living authentically the life I have been called to, which is a life of humility, prayer and
reflection?”<br />
<br />
The same questions could be asked of each of us in with respect to the lives that we have
been called to live. After all, mysticism is not just for those who give up their worldly
possessions in exchange for a simple robe, it is for anyone who truly wishes and strives to
seek after it.<br />
<br />
As many who are called to the monastic way of life will tell you, giving up our fancy clothes and
putting on a simple robe is probably the easiest part of what we do. Self-examination, a
constant attitude of prayerfulness and a life of putting others’ needs before our own wants -
these things are the hard parts of our calling to make a way of life out of actively searching for
the God of our hearts.<br />
<br />
That is not to say that our lives are filled with suffering, or that these difficult things prevent us
from finding happiness; on the contrary, the monastic way of life brings with it a kind of joy that
is both exquisite and indescribable, and many gifts that we, as hermits, monks, nuns, friars and
sisters would often not have found by any other means.
To be honest, I stumble concerning those things which I am called to do. I get angry, I harbor
uncharitable thoughts, I miss prayer times and I have been known to purchase things that I do
not need, either out of impulse or a fear of not having enough.<br />
<br />
In short, I fail to trust in God,
and I fail to always seek after God.
My faults aside, I have found in my life that many people are perplexed by the idea of
indescribable joy in relation to God. The God that they have heard of through various means
such as their church leaders, misinterpretations of texts held as holy and society in general
paint for them a picture of an angry, judgemental and wrathful creature who examines their
every thought and action, looking for faults, shortcomings and their good intentions which are
“not-good-enough” in this awful and enraged being’s eyes.<br />
<br />
Who could fall in love with a God such as this? Who could be inspired to carry out charitable
works that uplift the poor and the broken? Surely some could be moved to these tasks, but
their inspiration comes from a place of fear and paranoia as opposed to the place of
indescribable love and joy that was mentioned earlier. Who would want to live their life in such
terror?<br />
<br />
And yet so many people do. They crowd into churches to hear the woeful tales of The
Dictator-God and fall on their their knees to beg forgiveness of sins they are not even guilty of.
This happens week after week, and for many, this happens for the entirety of their lives.<br />
<br />
What
a sad and terrible way to live.
So how did so many overcome this terrible image and find the profound and inexpressible love
and joy that mystics, monastics and people who make their own daily lives an expression of
prayer?<br />
<br />
Now, I’m no expert, but I would venture to say that these kinds of ecstatic experiences began
with the words “Be still.” Someone, somewhere heard these words and took them to heart, and
in that sweet stillness they found something so exquisite that their only choice was to make a
life out of trying to experience it again and again.<br />
<br />
This practice would come to be known as mysticism, and it can be seen in virtually every faith
known to humans. The great thing about mysticism is that a person need not give up all their
earthly possessions and take on a life of discipline and simplicity (although some choose to do
so) in order to experience the innumerable benefits that it has to offer; a person simply needs
to make an intentional practice out of being still before God.<br />
<br />
I say this, not to discount the lives of those who have given everything in favor of prayerful
discipline and simplicity, but to invite everyone to escape the bonds of fearful living and enter
the valley of absolute delight which is the love of God.<br />
<br />
As anyone who has glimpsed this bright and beautiful place will tell you, visiting it will not free
you from the day-to-day monotony, the ups-and-downs, doubts, and the sometimes
overwhelmingly painful state of human existence. This joyful beauty will, however, when
integrated into the very fabric of who you are, make all of these things easier to deal with.<br />
<br />
So, in your bustling and hurried lives, you might consider taking 10 small minutes each day to
try and be still. Leave your cares, your worries, your to-do lists and your ego at the door to a
quiet room and just be still. You may be surprised how, little by little, you are transformed from
within from a fearful and wrathful person into a joyful and loving one because in the end, we reflect what our image of God is by our behavior.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-77702881493889391672017-09-06T01:06:00.000-07:002017-09-22T09:22:30.730-07:00Answering the CallHave you ever wondered what the monastic life is really like?<br />
<br />
Have you felt drawn to it?<br />
<br />
If so, please consider viewing the short vocational video I made for those considering the monastic way of life:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rbOyEPXsxlw/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rbOyEPXsxlw?feature=player_embedded" width="550"></iframe></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-61687620890126652032017-09-04T19:30:00.004-07:002017-09-22T09:22:44.911-07:00The Light Burden"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light." -Mt. 11:28<br />
There is a saying that proposes that the monastic life is one of holy leisure. As anyone who has lived a monastic life will tell you, this is not how it appears from the inside. There are chores to be done, people to be fed, and prayers to be said; indeed the life of a monastic is very busy.<br />
Although the monastic has very few free moments in his or her day, they are generally more willing to give of that free time to others than their secular counterparts (this is simply my observation). I once encountered a monk on retreat who interrupted his silence to welcome me, though I was not a member of his order. This is telling; the retreat (that is to say the withdrawal away from the business of the monastery for a time of intense silent reflection) is held by many monastic houses in the highest regard, and is typically not to be interfered with by insiders or outsiders alike.<br />
The charity of that monk will always stick with me. He broke more than a few rules to show me kindness, and for that I am eternally grateful. But I digress.<br />
When I compare all the work (that being manual labor and prayer alike) that I do to any job I had in my secular life, my work seems quite easy. Sure there are chores that I would rather not do and times when I would rather be sleeping than praying but who doesn't desire to be resting when they are working instead?<br />
One of the most important teachings of the monastic life is turning work into prayer. If you begin your work with prayer and pray while you are working, then the labor before you becomes an act of sacrifice and thanksgiving to your Creator instead of a dreaded chore that we may drag our feet to accomplish. In this way the work we do becomes easy and worthwhile.<br />
I encourage you to give prayerful work a try. You may find that, as the passage above from the Gospel of St. Matthew says, the yoke is easier and the burden is lighter.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-69793667406541402592017-08-29T06:28:00.000-07:002017-09-22T09:23:02.818-07:00The Eternal NovitiateHosea, chapter 2, verse 14:<br />
<br />
"Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her."<br />
<span class="p"><br /></span>
<span class="p">Many people question what would lead a person to live a monastic life. The above passage pretty much sums it up for me; the sweetness of my Creator's voice in the silence of my heart outweighs any burden that the monastic way of life could place upon me.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="p">A sincere monastic knows that they do not come to this way of life as a perfect person. I stumble, fall, and lose my way on a regular basis. It is only through the grace and mercy of my Creator that I am able to get back up, dust myself off, and continue on the narrow path that leads me to salvation.</span><br />
<span class="p"><br /></span>
<span class="p">I have been a monk in one form or another for 11 years now. Although I have made my lifelong profession of vows, I still consider myself a spiritual novice. I still have much to learn in the school of God's service; I must learn how to love more, pray more, be kinder and show more generosity to those around me. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="p">I have these and many more lessons to learn, and it will probably take the span of my lifetime and more to learn them. It is my hope that through adherence to my Rule of Life, a sincere thirst for generosity and love, and the help of my brothers and sisters that I will arrive at my death changed for the better.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-75792636502556162322017-08-28T04:57:00.000-07:002017-09-22T09:23:21.539-07:00Recognizing GodThere is a saying that I have seen circulating around social media that says, "if you can not find Christ in the beggar on the street, you will not find Him in the Chalice".<br />
<br />
Powerful words.<br />
<br />
One of the vows that members of the community I belong to take is the vow of Stewardship.
This means that we vow to care for the environment in which we live and
the people in our lives with patience, compassion, and generosity.<br />
<br />
It is part of my Rule of Life to reflect on this vow by regularly asking the following questions: <br />
<ul>
<li> How do I care for the world around me?<span class="text_exposed_show"></span></li>
<li><span class="text_exposed_show"> How do I care for the people in my life?</span></li>
<li><span class="text_exposed_show"> Am I able to recognize my Creator's presence in all things and in all people? </span></li>
</ul>
<span class="text_exposed_show">I admit that the answers to these questions are not always as they should be. There are times when I struggle to be responsible, caring, and humble, and there are times when I am unable to recognize God in the world around me and in the people in my life.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">One example is when I'm in line to check out at the grocery store. Like everyone else, I want to get it done and over with quickly and without as few problems as possible. While I am now a lot less prone to irritation and downright bad behavior, there are many times where I have been less than charitable toward the other people in line and the person working the cash register.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="text_exposed_show">It is not often enough that I catch myself falling into bad behaviors in time to make amends for them. Often times it is only upon reflection at the end of the day that I realize that I could have been kinder, more gentle and more charitable to the people I meet, as well as the environment in which I live. (For example, I could have picked up someone else's garbage, but I made feeble excuses like being in a hurry or not wanting to get my hands dirty.)</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show">So, dear sisters and brothers, now that my dirty laundry has been aired, I invite you to share in the above listed reflections. We can always be kinder, gentler, and more charitable. The real question is are we open enough let our Creator into our lives, so that we may see Its reflection in the world around us?</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833089088185863395.post-45198536640931317172017-08-14T08:22:00.001-07:002017-09-22T09:23:39.065-07:00What's Love Got to do With It?When I talk about my vocation with monks or nuns who have been in vows longer than I have, I often hear the phrase "God never said it would be easy, only that it would be worth it". I'm sure many other people on many other paths have heard the same thing, however the choice of living out a monastic vocation (if it really is a choice) is an especially difficult way to live.<br />
<br />
One of the key differences between a monastic life and a secular life us that the monastic is called to begin every action out of a place of love. I do not mean the kind of love that spurs romantic interest, but the kind of love that overcomes hate, lifts the broken and comforts the afflicted.<br />
<br />
In light of the recent tragedy in Charlottesville, the dispersed order that I belong to held a collective candlelight vigil for the victims of the violence that took place there, but our vigil was about more than just the victims; it was also in hope that love might overcome the hatred that caused the attack in the first place.<br />
<br />
As Dr. ML King said, "Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate can not drive out hate, only love can do that".<br />
<br />
Let us then strive to cultivate love within ourselves. Each small act of love will eventually add up to large acts of love which can drive out hatred and darkness.<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17803301065840019922noreply@blogger.com0