Novice Habit - Talk on the Reception. Abbot Mark

Comment: 
After Lauds, the Chapter of the Community was present for ceremony of the habit given to the Novice, Michael Downie.
The Reception of a Novice is a very practical activity but full of symbolism. On this occasion for the time, the Sacristan photographed the happy event, as the pictures attached.

Forwarded Wishes from William.

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: William .....
To: Donald.     ...
Sent: Sunday, 24 May 2015, 13:22
Subject: Wonderful news - Brother Michael

Dear Father Donald,

I cannot let this moment pass without sending my warmest congratulations, prayers, and all good wishes to Brother Michael !

Please will you tell him how overjoyed I am for him ! It is such good news for him and for the Community. The close-up photo tells of his almost tearful happiness ! 

Thank you for sending me this cheering news, and for your Whitsunday blessing.

In the Joy of this day, with my love in the Lord the Spirit,

William

+ + +

Abbot’s Talk on Reception of Habit.
Pentecost 24 May 2015.
Michael Downie ...

  

The one thing that concerned St Benedict was that those who came to the monastery were truly seeking God.

The liturgy often puts into words the ideals that we seek and provides us with the motivation we need to keep true to our calling.  Just a few days ago in our Office of Lauds, the intercessions captured much of what we profess to live.  They began with a plea that we be strengthened in our hope in God and in our reliance on the Holy Spirit to keep us faithful.  We prayed that the Holy Spirit turn our words into prayers and our seeking into finding.  Then we prayed that, in our time of waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit, our darkness be turned into light and our falseness into truth; we asked that the Spirit bring order out of the chaos of our lives and love out of hate.  The intercessions concluded with the desire that we retain respect for the weak and never be harsh or impatient with them.  That is one of the many fruits of the life of the Holy Spirit.

These were not only prayers that we may live good lives.  They describe what a good monk living in community should be if the novice and community are not to think just of themselves.  They direct us to God and how God relates to us through one another.  That is the focal point we need to keep referring back to as we journey on, seeking a fuller knowledge and love of God.  Sometimes we might get the impression from reading the bible, and in some commentaries on the bible, that God is only thinking of our duty to him.  God is not a dictator or megalomaniac, demanding our attention and service.  But the fullness of revelation has come to us through a long process of self-purification in which men and women have grown to know God and his love for us.  God has shown his love for us.  Like any lover, he only wants a response to the love he has already shown us.  That is what draws us to give ourselves to God in the monastic life.  Others show their love for God in other walks of life.

Of course, it's not easy to keep up to that level of commitment and love.  We need God to help us if we are to remain faithful and to be lifted up from our failures.  That is why St Benedict has described our vow to follow him as a turning back to him - a conversatio morum - a constant turning from our selfish or self-centred way of living to one that is more centred on God.  The more we think of him the less we fall into the trap of thinking only of ourselves.  This process lies at the heart of holiness.  Hopefully, the further we travel on the more we will come to think of God and of others before ourselves.  That is what leads us to fullness of life and happiness.  If we have chosen our vocation well, we will find it leads us to much self-knowledge and the community will be the better for our being a part of it. 

Archbishop Romero, who was idolised by the people of El Salvador and of much of the world, was beatified yesterday for his holiness of life and courage in the face of several threats to murder him.   His reply to those threats was that, if they killed him, he would rise up again in the people of El Salvador.  The monastic life is a kind of death but not so obviously one as the shooting of Archbishop Romero.  He lived his life for his people; we live ours for the sake of our community.  Without doing so as dramatically as happened to him, our lives are given to this place and those who live in it.  Each of us gives our lives for each other.  Our lives and our deaths should be embodied in the community in spirit and by the way we live them.  Broadly speaking, each of us makes or diminishes the community by the way we live.

Without prayer and learning from the lives of our brothers in the community, it will be very difficult for us to fit well into this vocation.   There will always be difficulties.  That is because we always need to be changing and adapting as we grow in our awareness of the life and the needs of those around us.  Our lives will be rewarding if we persevere in them in this spirit. 

These are some of the things you need to know and have already experienced in your time you have spent within our community.  This knowledge and insight into the love of God will increase in you if you persevere in it.   The question you are being asked this Pentecost morning is: Do you willingly agree to continue in our life and commit yourself to the life as a novice.  What is your answer?

   

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