May 31, 2007
· Filed under Desert Fathers, Monastic, Quiet, St Benedict
There is not as many fathers that talk about quietness as there were on perfection. That maybe because of the book or it maybe because not as many emphasized it as much. Arsenius had a lot to say about it. It was very insightful. He seems to want people to leave the world through quietness. In one saying he said that if you could hear the voice of a bird then you do not have quietness in your heart. A very interesting idea. I do not know that I could do it but I am sure that it would take a lot of time to learn this skill.
There was one really good quote from Matrona he said, “Many solitaries living in the desert have been lost because they lived like people in the world. It is better to live in a crowd and want to live a solitary life then to live in solitude and be longing all the time for company.” This really hit me; and this is why I do not think that I could be a hermit. At least not now, because even though I do not like large crowds, I do like small groups. I do not want to give up all communication with people either. I want to be able to share what I have learned in my life and possibly be able to help others with that information. Even though I could do this in writing, it seems that something always gets lost when you go from saying something to reading it. Since from what I have heard and have been told, body language and tone are things that people pick up on the most and not the words.
This idea of being totally alone is also not a great one for me. That is why I think the Rule of St Benedict is good. He wants the monks to have some relationship with each other. They are not there to learn from some ‘holy man.’ They can and will learn a lot, if not more from each other then the abbot. I think this kinda life would work. A happy medium between total solitude and the everyday world that I am in now.
Grace and Peace
May 28, 2007
· Filed under Desert Fathers, Monastic, St Benedict
Many of the Fathers split their teaching on progressing in perfection and on how to please God in two three things that their followers should do.
Anthony says “wherever you go, keep God in mind; whatever you do, follow the example of holy Scripture; wherever you are, stay there and do not move away in a hurry.”
Gregory said, “God asks three things of anyone who is baptized: to keep the true faith with all his soul and all his might; to control his tongue; to be chaste in his body.”
There are many other examples of three things to do, or three things you should do. One thing that I found to be very inspiring. An unnamed hermit said it, “whatever you find you are drawn to in following God’s will, do it and let your heart be at peace.” I thought that this was very comforting since I also feel that God is calling me to teach. I am reading a book now, called Seeking God: The Way of St. Benedict, it is about living the Rule of St Benedict in an everyday life. I think that this book goes along very well with what the hermit said. I can still follow the Rule and do work as a professor. So the question is do I go off and live as a monk in a monastery or do I live as a monk in the world? Or is there a monastic order that allows their monks to work at a job other then the usual kind at the monastery and still live there?
Well this gives me some stuff to think about. I will be posting some more stuff on the desert fathers as I read more of their sayings. Well may the God of peace have mercy on you.
Grace and Peace
May 24, 2007
· Filed under Hebrews, Jesus, Lectio Divina
For those of you who do not know what a Lectio Divina is, it is a way of mediating on Scripture. First you spend a little time mediating and getting you mind and body in the right mood to think about God’s word. Then after you are relaxed, you find a bit of Scripture to read usually just a few verses or sentences. When you are reading the selection you are not really reading it in the traditional sense but listening to it. Trying to find what God has for you inside of it. After reading it a few times try and pick out the word or phrase that is really sticking out to you, then repeat it to your self over and over again. Then mediate on that word or phrase and listen to what God is saying to you in it. Then pray thanking God for the invitation to hear him and be heard by him. Then just relax for a few minutes in his presence.
Well I did that the other day with Hebrews 1:1-4. The phrase that God had me listen to was “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory” (Heb. 1:3). In this I heard God making me realize how huge a thing it was for Jesus to come to earth and die. That the King of the Universe made himself so small that he could fit into a human body. That the God that is every where at once was able to become a baby. That one that should have never tasted death did taste it for you and me. But also that he rose again and ascended into heaven. Think about it for a while that God made himself man, died, and rose again.
Well that is about all that I did and it was really good and really nice I am going to keep doing it. Because it really helps me connect to God and less important because my sponsor for Confirmation in the Anglican Church wants me too, and I can see why. Well I hope you all try it. If you want more information about it leave a comment asking for it or just e-mail me and tell me.
Grace and Peace
May 12, 2007
· Filed under Uncategorized
I found this site a couple of days ago it is from a museum in Canada. It is a pretty cool little bit about Trappist Monks. They have some really nice video clips on it of come chants of the daily office. It looks really well done and I suppose it all seems to be correct not too sure yet. With just finishing up finals I have not been able to read all of the site yet. I look forward to being able to read the rest of it when I get everything packed up and moved out of my apartment. Well here is the link to the site if you want to check it out. I will also put it in a list of links that I am making.
Peace and Grace to you
May 11, 2007
· Filed under Uncategorized
Hey everyone! I just want to say that this will be a place that I talk about my personal journey. I invite you come check up on me if you would like. I in no way shape or form have all the right answers nor do I really know what I am doing. I just know that God has placed on my heart the call to monastic life. I am still trying to figure out how I am supposed to live this out in my life. I will be mainly posting on my journey into the Anglican Church, reflections on books that I read, and about others blogs that I read. Pretty soon I might have some in depth reflections on The Rule of St. Benedict. I have some general reflections on it on my other blog, see below for more about that.
I have another blog where I post on more scholarly topics, you can find that on my list of blogs. I am also trying to be a scholar, I just graduated from Western Kentucky University with a BA in Religious Studies. I am going to the University of Kentucky for a year to work on Greek and Hebrew. Then I will go on to Grad school, I plan on applying to Florida State University, Notre Dame, and Trinity Western. I want to work with 2nd Temple Judaism for my Masters and The Letter to the Hebrews for my Ph.D. work.
Well that is about all that I have to say for now check back soon, I might have something new up. Have a great day and may God bless you on our pilgrimage.
