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Abbey of Gethsemani...Aaah...3 days of silence. OK it was more like 2 1/4 days because on Monday God knocked all my nice "duckies in formation" all over creation. I reacted poorly. Became an ass. Became? OK, maybe I just went to new levels of assdome. Anyway, fumed (pouted?) the whole way to Trappist, KY because things didn't go my way. Great start for a spiritual retreat. Oh well.
Got there in time to eat, go to Compline & hear Father Matthew's talks. (Yes, Alan, He ROCKS!) He spoke of living in God's favor and easing into the rhythm of life rather than trying so hard to make things fit. (Ducks in a row?) It reminded me of the 1st time going skiing. At first I hated that stupid ski lift. But I learned once I relaxed & went with it, rather than trying so hard I was able to jump right on & go with it. Set the pace for the next couple of days.
The rest of the trip seemed to be all about "the journey". I started reading Eugene Peterson's A Long Obedience in the Same Direction. It's meditations on the Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120-134 the songs sung by Hebrew Pilgrims on their way up to worship in Jerusalem). Really great stuff that flies in the face of our instant society.
Had this beautiful experience walking up one of the wooded trails to the Hill of Statues. I walked it very slowly trying to take it all in. Beauty of the setting. Statues and signs all along the way. It's actually like walking through worship installations. I stopped at each point, took pictures, spent time meditating, writing down my thoughts & prayers. Through the whole experience God spoke very clearly about living in his grace. In a very simple way God reminded me over & over about how far reaching His grace is. The Abbey bell tolls every 15 minutes. All along the way (I took about 3 hours on this "journey") I could hear the bells. No matter how far I got I was always within the sound of the bell. Even at one point when I got off the path, stuck in these thorny plants taller than me I heard the bell. Great image of my life story!
I loved attending the prayer offices. Yes, I even did the Vigils at 3 am both days. Of course unlike the monks I went back to bed! God neatly wrapped the whole journey thing together on Wed during the prayer offices. We chanted Psalms 120-134.
One last thing, ran across a cool little book in the library. A Celtic Benediction by J. Philip Newell. Heard of it, Debi? I think you'd like it. It's a book of morning & night prayers based on the 7 days of Creation. Here's one of the prayers:
For the first showings of the morning light
and the emerging outline of the day
thanks be to you, O God.
For earth's colors drawn forth by the sun
its brilliance piercing clouds of darkness
and shimmering through leaves and flowing waters
thanks be to you.
Show to me this day
amidst life's dark streaks of wrong and suffering
the light that endures every person.
Dispel the confusions that cling close to my soul
that I may see with eyes washed by your grace
that I may see myself and all people
with eyes cleansed by the freshness of the new day's light.
| posted by Matt | 10:24 PM | |