Abbey News

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Enlightening
If being struck by lightning is the road to enlightenment then our amiable porter, Br. Louis, might qualify. There he was quietly tending the grounds in front of the Abbey when a nasty little thunderstorm arose. As the rain began pouring down he scurried off to the shelter of a nearby red pickup truck which promptly took a direct hit by lightning. One of the retreatants who witnessed the episode thought for sure that whoever was in that truck was truly fried.

But no. The loud bang shook him up good, to be sure, and totally deafened him for a brief time but, other than being quite shaken up, he was unscathed. When his hearing returned it was better than it was before. We're all grateful he is still among us to relate the story. By the way, Br. Louis doesn't recommend that procedure for those with hearing problems.

Another nasty thunderbolt got into our computer network knocking out a large portion of the system and pretty well frying the library office computer. The network system was restored in a couple of days with the help of our technical support but the ailing computer had to be taken in to the repair shop for whatever repairs and recovery can be managed.

If that wasn't enough trouble the phone at the porter's desk and the phone systems at Bethlehem House and Bethany House were knocked out of commission for several days. All the same, it is still the good ole summertime and this morning we are enjoying a gentle, refreshing rain minus thunder and lightning.

Guest Retreatants
This past week we were glad to welcome three Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in our midst: Brothers Antonio, Paul and Sebastian. They are retreating with us until Friday in preparation for making their solemn vows Sunday, July 27th, along with four other friars.

Midsummer Neighbors

It is not uncommon for one to meet up with neighbors when going out for a walk. Here at the monastery though our closest human neighbors are a mile or so down the road and meeting up with them rarely if ever happens.

But we have plenty of other "neighbors" right in our back yard that we meet up with all the time. Like this representative of this year's bevy of newly born fawn.

Why is God silent? Why does he withdraw? Why is it that just the opposite of what I wanted is happening? This distance between what Jesus promised and what we experience in our own lives makes you think, every time - it has that effect in each generation, for each single person, and even for me.

Each one of us has to struggle to work out an answer for himself, so that in the end he comes to understand why God has spoken to him precisely like that. Augustine and other great Christians say that God gives us what is best for us - even when we do not recognize this at first.

Often, we think that exactly the opposite of what he does would really be best for us. We have to learn to accept this path, which, on the basis of our experience and our suffering, is difficult for us, and to see it as the way in which God is guiding us. God's way is often a path that enormously reshapes and remolds our life, a path in which we are truly changed and straightened out.

To that extent, we have to say that this Ask, and you will receive certainly cannot mean that I can call God in as a handyman who will make my life easy ever time I want something. Or who will take away suffering and questioning. On the contrary, it means that God definitely hears me and what he grants me is, in the way known only to him, what is right for me.

God And The World
Pope Benedict XVI