Show that list to any of our contemporaries and they will conclude that you lead a miserable life. And so you will -- unless there is something else. It is this "something else" that makes monastic life tolerable, worthwhile, and sometimes delightful. Among the benefits we receive from belonging to a monastic community are the following:
- our relationship with God in prayer;
- our discipleship of Christ;
- the gift of daylong liturgy;
- our belonging to a sound spiritual tradition;
- our clarity about goals and means;
- the support and affection of like-minded brothers or sisters;
- our contemplative ambiance;
- our hours of holy leisure;
- our opportunities for spiritual, intellectual, and personal formation and growth;
- our relative freedom from financial and other worries.
from Strangers to the City
by Michael Casey
No comments:
Post a Comment