Thursday, October 15, 2009

On Retreat, Holy Cross Abbey, 09OCT05 (PM Monday)

09OCT05 (PM Monday): Most of the day spent getting here. Very pretty site. Retreat House beautiful, chapel beautiful, grounds beautiful. VERY quiet (except for mooing cows).

Hit the library first – not a lot of books – I found one – Engaging the world with Merton, On Retreat in Tom’s Hermitage by M. Basil Pennington. I’ve seen this book before but never bought it.

His goal for the retreat is:

“Some renewing experience of God and Contemplative Time. Some clarity on my vocational question”

Sounds a LOT like the first things I thought about when I came here, or first decided to do this.

Went to Vespers at 5:30, Compline at 7:30. Very interesting. Don’t know if I’ll make Vigils at 3:30AM. Certainly 7AM. I think as Pennington did in his retreat, I’ll build mine around the service times as well.

Was reading Matthew 5 before Compline. How good of a job do we as 21st Century Christians do with any of that? Anger? Adultery? Retaliation? Love of Enemies? Wow. Not too good. It’s all “in your face”.

“Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied”

I want to hunger and thirst for righteousness this week.

God protect my family this night.