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
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 ...
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?
Welcome Home 
Michael Postulant
