Let’s put our monastic imaginations to work once again. Imagine for a moment that you are spending the day . . . or the rest of your life! . . . cloistered with the nuns in Regina Laudis Abbey, or with the Carthusian monks who have their monastery high in the Swiss alps (might as well imagine scenically!), and think for awhile what it would be like to have your days and nights absolutely ordered, but completely filled with the pursuit of God! What would it be like, really?
There is a monastic romance to the idea for many of us, and nearly all of us long, during some seasons, for more solitude than life will ever afford. We seldom consider, however, what monastics tell us about the most difficult parts: the interrupted sleep, the unending ordeal of crucifying all natural desire for self-reference and self-promotion, and the battles that arise when doubts assail the unique vocation that the monastic has chosen.
What will ever prove that the right choice has been made? Each enters the monastery with talents and abilities that could certainly be put to good use in the world outside. A well-founded monastery makes use of the best of each postulant, novice, and professes nun, identifying their God-given gifts, but some abilities do perish on the vine. Other strengths are developed and brought into the high service of worship and prayer, art, literature, craftsmanship, and teaching. What would our strengths be? What will we discover as we journey on in this monastic endeavor?
At first we will get to know our weaknesses: some will find they are more adept at making excuses than ever they suspected, and some will discover that, for all their desire to know and love God, there are things they seem to love better! In Cor Unum, as in any monastery, it doesn’t really matter what weaknesses are uncovered, it matters that we remain, and keep our small commitments until we are able to keep the large one, that of becoming fervent and consistent monastics, praying until the answer comes, worshiping until we have touched the Lord’s pleasure, worshiping with our voices and worshiping with our lives, abiding in Christ, His Word abiding in us. It is He who established this interior monasticism, and we prove it as we abide in Christ.
Imagine today, and look around you at the consecrated walls and windows of Cor Unum, the monastery of the heart.
Young Violinist,
Schorle, by permission, Wikipedia
Cor Unum Abbey 