View from my Room:
I've had a little exposure to the monastic life through various courses I've taken over the past two years, and I must say that monastic life really appeals to me. This particular monastery follows the Benedictine tradition, which centres around oratio (prayer) and vocatio (work), and that is literally how they structure their life: they are almost completely self-sufficient (they have their own farm, vegetable gardens, and orchards, and they maintain and operate everything on their property) and they pray continually. During the two days I was there, this was their prayer schedule:
* 5am - Lauds (Worship)
* 10am - Sung Mass
* 11:55am - Midday Prayer
* 4:35pm - Vespers and Benediction
* 7:15pm - Vigil
This schedule is repeated 7 days a week.
Westminster Abbey:
Sanctuary:
The monks were kind and generous. They invited me to particapte in their prayers, and they also invited me to eat lunch and dinner with them. It was very enriching indeed. Two monks in particular were very kind: Father Placidus and Father Mark.
Father Placidus and I shared breakfast both days, and we had some very interesting discussions. He was very interested in my life, and when he found out I attend Regent College he was very pleased. Father Mark was also very friendly. After dinner once, we walked down to one of the classrooms in the monastery and just sat down and talked. We talked about the Reformation, the current state of the global church, and had a very interesting conversation about current social issues relating to life and sexuality.
We may criticize the Catholic Church on many issues, but on the theology of the human body and its relation to the sanctity of life, whether it be marriage, abortion, euthanasia, the use of contraception, or homosexuality, there is no other institution on earth that protects the gift of life the way the Catholic Church does.
Anyways, I digress.
At any rate, all this to say that the monks for the most part were approachable and friendly. Upon asking Father Mark why he chose this lifestyle, he responded with something along the lines of 'I wanted to totally and completely devote my entire life to God, serving and loving others, praying "at all times", while using the vocational gifts He's bestowed upon me'. I found that truly refreshing and genuine.
There was , however, one monk whom I didn't have a good experience with. Upon arriving at the dining hall for lunch, I took the first seat available, beside another monk. Shortly after we began our meal, one of the monks walked in. Realizing that I was sitting in his spot, he got annoyed. Actually, he was visibly angry. He must've thought to himself 'What's this idiot visitor doing sitting in my spot'. And to make things worse, I'd taken his napkin and placed it on my lap (I copied the other monks who also did that). The climax came when he leaned over, reclaimed his napkin, and sat down beside me on the empty chair. But he did it in such a way that everyone in the entire dining hall knew that I'd taken his spot. What a loser. I guess he was having a bad day. It just goes to show .. even monks have bad days! Even monks are sinful! Praise be to Almighty God!!!
Interestingly, the monks ate in complete silence, not a word spoken. They didn't talk to one another, or even look at each other. They looked straight ahead, as though it was a sin to speak. I didn't have a chance to find out what the reasoning behind this was. However - and this may clear the picture a little - there was a monk sitting in the middle of the room, reading out loud, so that everyone could hear. He read from the Scriptures, as well as from another book. Eating a meal this way - without saying a single word to anyone, listening to someone in the middle of the room read - was definitely the most unusual, unnerving experience of the weekend.
My favourite part of each day was .. well .. the prayers. The sung masses were beautiful and peaceful - much more so than most singing in our churches. The reverence was also sobering. It seems to me we do not revere God anymore. We ought to be in awe of him. The Psalmist even speaks of fearing God. And although most of the prayers were recited by memory, that too was a blessing, if for no other reason than the realization that completing such a task requires great discipline and hard work. It ought to challenge me to use my memory too, to the glory of God, if not by memorizing prayers, then at least by memorizing Scripture.
Stained Windows:
But aside from prayer times in the church, I also had ample time to pray and read Scriptures on my own. I went for walks, sat on benches, enjoyed the stunning views of the Fraser Valley.
Peaceful Walks:
The Fraser Valley:
I contemplated many of the issues currently on my mind. More importantly, I focused on God: his character, his faithfulness. Reading through the book of Esther was very insightful on both of these fronts.
Reading Scripture:
Sundown:
I had a blessed weekend. I want to do this again. Lately my soul longs for solitude.
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