I am part of a liturgical church. We organize our years into liturgical seasons. A new season called Advent, the first season of a new year, begins this weekend. The season of Advent is a lot more exciting than most people realize. The word “Advent” comes from the same Middle English, Old French, and Latin roots as “adventure.” Advent and adventure describe something being about to happen, about to arrive. Our season of Advent is a time of anticipation and... Read more
We do not generally see monks as explorers. We think of monks as people who stay in the same place, separate from the world. Monks commit themselves to remain at their monasteries and follow a rule. We think of monks as stable members of monastic communities. They do not go off on expeditions to explore distant places. Historically, the mothers and fathers of Christian monasticism left cities to live in the wilderness. They were exploring not geography, but their own spirituality. They believed... Read more
How do we practice thanksgiving? No, I am not talking about learning to deep-frying a turkey or new ways to make gravy. Practicing thanksgiving is not about getting ready to watch more football. Practicing thanksgiving is not limited to one day in November, or October. Thanksgiving is how we respond to all the blessings of this life. For some of us, giving thanks is something we do inside ourselves. We may sit quietly, remembering people and experiences that have shaped... Read more
Night can be the most challenging part of the monastic day. Monastic days are organized to give monks time for their priorities. Time for reflection and prayer, time for physical work and reading. Each day includes time for meals, personal hygiene, and rest. Monastic time is intended to reduce distractions and allow monks to pay attention. Spending time at the monastery is a way to reset our internal clocks. We return to immerse ourselves in monastic time, to remember and... Read more
There is a woman, a friend of mine, who I see each Friday evening. My friend has been struggling with complicated physical ailments since before we met. She has fought pain and frustration, being misunderstood and ignored. Her courage and spirit kept her going long past the time most of us would have despaired. A few months ago, my brilliant friend found herself without more options. She decided to cease the painful treatments which were not helping her. Now, months later,... Read more
We all want to change the world, in one way or another. Some of us want to reform the economic system or the justice system. Some people are motivated to clean up the environment or help others. Some of us want to solve grand, worldwide problems. Others focus on their own families. We all see something that could be better and want to help accomplish it. We share the belief, deep inside us, we are here to make a difference. Even the... Read more
Some of us like to believe we are open to new ideas, new experiences. There are people eager to try any new restaurant. Some of us try to visit new places each year. I even know people who seem to be driven to try every new craft beer brewed. We want to think of ourselves as curious. We want to be people who push back boundaries, who try new things. We want to question our assumptions and learn new truths. Many of... Read more
Many of us view monks as role models of calm and mindful assurance. If we have met monks, we might marvel at their peaceful, unflappable openness. Most people who visit monasteries have an expectation of quiet, even silent, composure. We often assume monks have found answers which satisfy them on their quests. We perceive monks as holding fast to certain truths they have discovered. I have seen another side of things as I have gotten to know monks, and even become more... Read more
I am hearing quite a bit about how this has been a hard year. It is only the end of October, and people are eager for this year to be over. This year has felt, at times, like we are headed down a long, dark tunnel. We have experienced a long, difficult campaign which began before the year did. Many of us have confronted challenges and obstacles which threatened to stop us. Some of us have had years filled with pain and... Read more
How do we begin each day to create healthy change and address the challenges of our lives? How do we even start to face the difficulties threatening to overwhelm us and our ability to respond? Christine Marie Mason begins by bringing people together to tell their stories. In her book, Indivisible, her first step is sharing her own story. We each experience the world from our own unique perspective. Much of the hardest work we do is learning how to appreciate life from other... Read more
Strategic Monk
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