A View from the Cloister

 

17 November 2008

Enter His Gate with Thanksgiving

 

Psalm 100 came to mind as I walked through the gate of the cloister garden today:

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Serve the Lord with gladness.

Come before him, singing for joy.

Know that he, the Lord, is God.

He made us, we belong to him,

we are the people, the sheep of his flock.

Go within his gates giving thanks.

Enter his courts with songs of praise.

Give thanks to him and bless his name.

Indeed, how good is the Lord,

eternal his merciful love.

He is faithful age to age.

This garden gate was a reminder to me today to be grateful that I belong in this place, to this flock. The monastery is a place on earth that points to heaven. Its life is ordered in such a way as to reflect the good order of God's kingdom. It is a privilege to dwell in the court of the Lord. He is ever faithful, and, quite marvelously, has made a commitment to me, to us, to be our shepherd. He is the protection of this house. He is the One whose love for us is without fail. For this, we daily serve him with gladness, thank him and sing his praises, for "He is faithful age to age."

 

12 November 2008

For Everything There is a Season

   

 

Wandering through the gueshouse garden the other day, a tree, the brightest red I have ever seen, caught my attention. It seemed not so long ago that the Lord had decorated this garden in purple and green. Now it is adorned in red and gold!

For one with a vow of stability, it is considerable consolation to know that no matter how many years may be spent in this place, it will never be twice the same. The Lord who made us understands perfectly how we occasionally need a change. We don't have to change our place, because our "place" is always changing if we are attentive to the Lord's works.

This can even be said of the Psalms. In the Divine Office, as it is prayed here at Mount Angel, we pray 3,600 Psalms per year (150 every two weeks). One is likely to pray over 200,000 psalms in a lifetime in the monastery, yet these inspired poems are ever changing under the influence of the Holy Spirit; one day read from this perspective, the next day read from another. The Lord knows that on different days we have different needs, season after season.

One who daily sings God's praise, ever attentive to His Word:

     He is like a tree planted

     beside the flowing waters,

     that yeilds its fruit in due season

     and whose leaves never fade.

                              (Psalm 1:3)

 

2 November 2008

Requiscat in Pace

 

All Souls Day is a peculiar celebration. It's a point of some pride that this solemn commemoration of the faithful departed has Benedictine origins. As early as the 7th century, Saint Isidore in Spain and in the 10th century, Abbot Widukind in Germany published decrees of formal prayers to be said in church for the faithful departed. The great French Abbey of Cluny, founded in 910 A.D., had the practice (as do all Benedictine monasteries) of remembering their deceased members each year on the anniversary of their passing. The Cluniac monasteries spread far and wide, numbering thousands of monks. Over time, reading the necrology each day became a practical burden due to its length. In response to this, Abbot Odilo of Cluny (11th century) instituted a single day of remembrance on November 2nd for all the deceased monks. Eventually, this practice spread to other churches and eventually found its way to Rome, where it was adopted throughout the Latin Church.

The typical November rains held back just long enough for our procession to make its way to the cemetery after Holy Mass. Even though we rushed back to the monastery immediately following, I think the holy souls appreciated the effort. Each day of November the monastic community says a special prayer for the Poor Souls:

O Lord, you took on our human nature and were clothed in our flesh in the womb of the Virgin Mother. By dying you overthrew death and gave life to your faithful. Through the intercession of her who gave you birth, we ask now that you grant rest with your saints to those who have fallen asleep. You live and reign with your Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon them.

May they rest in peace. Amen

 

3 October 2008

Doctor of Divine Adoption

Today we get to celebrate one of our own, Blessed Columba Marmion. His spiritual teachings are both traditional and far reaching. It is not possible to choose a single favorite line from among his many works, but perhaps it might be: "We become by grace, what Christ is by nature." This transforming grace is begun in Holy Baptism, which Dom Marmion refers to as "the efficacious sign of divine adoption." Inspired by Saint Paul's letter to the Ephesians, chapter 1, Dom Marmion teaches that by the Sacrament of Baptism we receive divine "sonship," that is we begin the process of "deification," or sanctification, being incorporated into Christ's very Body. It is this Body that we receive in the Holy Eucharist, and it is this Body that we become.

Born Joseph Marmion in Dublin, Ireland in 1858, he was ordained a priest in Rome for the Archdiocese of Dublin. After six years of priestly service in Ireland, Father Marmion entered the Benedictine abbey of Maredsous in Belgium, receiving the name Columba. Eventually elected abbot of that house, he gained a reputation as a solid spiritual teacher - that, he remains today. Abbot Marmion died in the Lord in the year 1923, leaving many spiritual conferences to benefit the life of the Christian faithful.

For a bibliography of his works click here >>

The above icon was written for Marmion Abbey, Aurora, IL, by our Brother Claude, OSB. Perhaps you can read the scroll he holds. It bears another of his famous sayings: "Joy is the echo of God's life in us."

 

2 October 2008

A Long Awaited Return

One and a half years ago, our statue of the Guardian Angel was removed for safe-keeping while the Abbey's new bell tower was being constructed. If there is a single "icon" that represents Mount Angel Abbey, it is most likely this much-loved statue. This particular angel survived the great fire of 1926, and has kept watch over our monastery ever since. A surprising number of guests worriedly asked about its absence, some even in an accusing tone, as if in some kind of iconoclastic fit, we had done away it. Now everyone can relax. the Guardian Angel again stands watch over Mount Angel Abbey. May our guardian angels guide and protect us always.

 

29 September 2008

All Holy Angels

The Celebration of Saints Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and all Holy Angels holds the rank of Solemnity here at Mount Angel Abbey, for they are the principal patrons of our Monastery. It is a joyful day here at the Abbey, complete with a festive meal at noon and what we call a "haustus" after vespers in the monastic refectory. I guess we monks have funny names for things. A "haustus" is a festive gathering where wine, beer and soft drinks are served along with some delightful morsels before the evening meal. This all takes place in the "refectory" which in the monastic nomenclature, means "dining room."

As is often said: a good time was had by all. These celebratory meals are the very few times where speaking is not only permitted at meals, but encouraged.

We are so very grateful to our Holy Patrons. They have protected us well, and continue to do so day and night. I'm reminded of the prayer we pray at compline (there's another one of those words: night prayer) on feasts and solemnities:

Lord, come to this house and keep from it all evil forces.

Let your holy angels dwell here to keep us in peace,

and let your blessing be with us always.

We ask this through our Lord, Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

 

27 August 2008

Abbey Night

The other evening I was out for a stroll after compline, and noticed the light against the Abbey church. The summer nights here at Mount Angel have been really beautiful, all except for a few uncharacteristically hot ones. For a few evenings the church was so hot that our habits were sticking to the choir stalls and compline books were doing double-duty as fans.

Fall is making its move now. The days are mostly in the 70s and the nights are cool, the seminarians are returning and monks are preparing for the commencement of teaching. The seasonal changes really are a gift from God. I don't think I would enjoy summer so much if it were never cold and rainy. Well, that will be here soon enough, then we'll be looking for Spring and Summer again.

 

13 August 2008

Praise Him Sun and Moon

I just want you to know that no color enhancement was done on the above photo. The sunset this evening REALLY was this colorful. This photo was taken about 9:00 p.m. in front of the guest house.

The words of Psalm 148 "Praise Him sun and moon" come to life when God decorates His world with such magnificence. The monastic life, with its daily rhythm, encourages a good order that, in turn, fosters interior recollection. With this interior recollection we are better able to offer the Father fitting praise through our union with Christ His Son, who has given us the Spirit.

It is important that we notice all around us the natural beauty designed and executed by our mindful and attentive God. Our Father, who is so in love with us that He should come to us as man, has also given us innumerable gifts that express His omnipresent love for us, and remind us again of His greatest act of love: Christ Jesus.

 

6 August 2008

Transfiguration

 

It is one of the blessings of this place that each year on the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, from our perspective, the sun rises directly behind Mount Hood. This is the view from the monastery.

The glory of the Son rising in us each day by grace transfigures us, it offers a glimpse of the glory that is to come in its heavenly reality. Just as the transfiguration of the Lord strengthened the disciples for the passion that would soon be upon them, the liturgical remembering of this Mystery of Faith gives us strength to endure the passions of daily life. Just as sure as the sun rises each day in the east, so does the Son of God rise in glory each day sacramentally. By this great grace, we will be ready when He rises in glory on that last day. Every sunrise is a promise: "For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels: and then will He render to every man according to his works" (Matthew 16:27).

 

13 July 2008

High Mass to Bluegrass

 

Mount Angel Abbey enjoys a special relationship to about 630 oblates of our monastery. These spiritual associates of the Abbey join with the monks in prayer and work, in as much as their state in life permits. Most live at some distance from the monastery, and so cannot be with us physically each day, but they pray the Liturgy of the Hours, are active in their churches, and seek to live the values of the Benedictine way in their every-day lives. For more on Benedictine Oblates, click here>>.

The Sunday nearest to Saint Benedict's Day is always the oblate picnic. This year's gathering was a particularly nice affair. The weather was perfect, the german sausages were great, and the drinks plentiful and cold. We also had new chairs and tables, that made for a lot less getting up and down on the lawn.

After the Sunday solemn liturgy celebrated by Father Abbot Nathan, we made our way out to the mall in front of the church, where under the shade of the library awning, "LeRoy and the Sidekicks" entertained us with down-home tunes ranging from Bluegrass to Old Time Country Gospel and even Hawaiian melodies. One of the ladies of the band who played the kitchen spoons while doing a jig was a rare sight at the monastery - a wonder and delight to behold!

It's not every day that one goes from High Mass to Bluegrass so seamlessly, so needless to say, "A good time was had by all." The monks appreciate the presence of our oblates, and acknowledge the rich contribution of their lives of prayer and work wherever they might be. The fellowship enjoyed at the annual picnic is a sign of the Benedictine life we share, a life not only of prayer and work, but also of sincere hospitality and above all, peace.

 

11 July 2008

Saint Benedict's Day

 

Today we celebrated the Solemnity of our Blessed Father, Saint Benedict. He was born in 480 A.D. in the town of Norcia in present day Italy. He was educated as a young man in Rome, but was disedified by the worldly life of the city. The would-be saint fled to a cave at Subiaco, some distance from Rome, where he lived a solitary life of praise and penance. Pope Saint Gregory the Great, an early follower of Saint Benedict, tells of a group of monks visiting him at his cave and convincing him to be their abbot. Against his better judgment, Saint Benedict went with these monks and tried to reform them (as he had warned). They opposed him violently, so after many trials, he fled and founded his community of monks at Monte Cassino.

There's not much doubt that the monks of our day are just about as difficult as those of 1400 years ago, but now we have the Holy Rule of Saint Benedict, which the Church has blest and found to be a fruitful way of Christian holiness. So, we keep up our prayer and work, and today celebrate our blessed father, who has shown us a way to turn away from self and better follow the Gospel.

Blessed Father Benedict, pray for us.

 

4 July 2008

Freedom

 

A sure sign that summer has come to Mount Angel is the appearance of the wild roses. We have actually had some pretty summery weather as well. I suppose its about time, being the 4th of July.

Independence day is celebrated here at the Abbey by keeping to our prayers and passing the rest of the day rather leisurely without work or meetings. We will have a social in the cloister garden after vespers this evening, and after compline some will quietly observe the fireworks displays from the communities in the valley around us. There was a very fine display already last night at the Oregon Garden in Silverton that I watched from the window of my cell on the second floor of the monastery.

Our national holiday always causes me to reflect on the nature of freedom. It is a precious gift bestowed by our Creator so that we can choose the good and reject evil. Some will ask why God didn't just program us to be good. Many a trial and hardship could then be avoided. Freedom, however, is the price of love. Without it we would be animals acting according to mere instinct. Love is only given in freedom. No one can compel it. God created us in freedom so that we could choose to love Him, and choose to love our neighbor as our self.

It seems that many in our world have given up true freedom in exchange for a radical individuality that insists upon the priority of the self, and expends great resources in the indulgence of the passions, mistakenly thinking that pleasure and happiness are synonymous.

The monastic life is intended to confront this erroneous understanding of freedom. Its requirements of obedience, disciplines of behavior, and practice of poverty are all ways to say no to self so as to better say yes to God. True love of God, family and nation stand as witnesses against the tyranny of radical individuality because they all require sacrifice. It is, of course, the Sacrifice of Christ which is the greatest act of love and our model of life. From a heart unencumbered by slavery to sin Our Lord Jesus Christ freely chose to give Himself without reservation for the eternal good of others. That is a freedom well worth celebrating.