It is Sunday at the monastery but it is also the first weekend in March and time to turn our clocks ahead for daylight savings time. So yes the monks do participate in daylight saving time. Saturday evening Father Carlos announced that they turn their clocks back after Vigils meaning that instead of having two hours between Vigils and Lauds there is only one hour.
I awake and go to Vigils again taking in this darkness preparing us for a new day. After I arrive back at my room, I decide since I have only have one hour until Lauds thus I will remain awake. I take a shower and do some reading. After Lauds we head downstairs to breakfast. My husband and I still sit in front of the windows even though it is dark. I suggest that after breakfast since we have a about two hours until mass.
We head outside bundled up and walk around to stay warm until the sun comes up and how beautiful it is. On Sundays, it is Terce and then mass, starting at 10:20 a.m. with everything else being slightly later. It is beautiful saying the Psalms and then being led into the church sitting behind the monks watching the processional and seeing some of them wearing the purple vestments. Light streams through the window above us and Christ comes alive nourishing us.
We enjoy Sunday lunch while watching the birds and head outside. My husband and I go our separate ways since I had decided that I was going to attend None at 2:15 p.m. I go outside and walk through the cemetery. I walk and find a place to sit. I I look at Merton's grave thinking about his writings, his epiphany and his commitment to his life as a monk.
Wonder is my word for 2020. I take this time to wonder and observe.
I notice the time and quickly hurry inside feeling somewhat silly at rushing. In fact I even get a smile from someone in the elevator. I return to the church joining the monks in None noticing how it seems to fit, a shorter liturgy but no less a remember of God's presence. It is still a meaningful praying of the psalms however I recognize that my heart absorbs more when I enter slowly and more settled.
I go to get a cup of coffee because by this time having not taken a nap which I realize in retrospect I probably should have observed meridian time like the monks to. Instead, I resort to a snack and caffeine, watching the birds and meeting up with my husband for another joint walk.
As I wait for him in the lobby, the monk manning the desk strikes up a conversation with me. He tells me about how he came to Gethsemani from being a parish priest adding that he was drawn to the Abbey and contemplative life because of the community. The view of the priesthood being lonely had escaped my notice. I did know however from my various experiences with silence that I valued the times when I united with others in silence.
I expressed to him how I felt distracted by wondering about the monks' life and he said that I needed to think about the Abbey as being their home. He asked me, would I walk into someone's home and begin asking questions about everything. Of course not I said, it would be rude. The concept of the Abbey being the monks' home escaped me somehow.
Another a wonderful opportunity happened while I stood there at the desk, a young man came up and the monk introduced him as Ty who had come to the Abbey as a inquirer. I told Ty I would be praying for him as I felt so excited that there were young men desiring to gave to the Abbey. Ty also mentioned that he had make a trip to Merton's hermitage of which I envied him.
I took another walk with my husband and headed across the road viewing the Abbey from a top of the hill. We walked around a while heading back inside both needing a break before vespers and dinner.
Being extremely tired by this time, after dinner, I took one more walk outside, skipped Compline and practically fell into bed. What a day, a filled with the richness of observation and conversation, of prayer and worship, of community and individuality and by the end feeling crazy because I had stayed awake way too long.
I awake and go to Vigils again taking in this darkness preparing us for a new day. After I arrive back at my room, I decide since I have only have one hour until Lauds thus I will remain awake. I take a shower and do some reading. After Lauds we head downstairs to breakfast. My husband and I still sit in front of the windows even though it is dark. I suggest that after breakfast since we have a about two hours until mass.
We head outside bundled up and walk around to stay warm until the sun comes up and how beautiful it is. On Sundays, it is Terce and then mass, starting at 10:20 a.m. with everything else being slightly later. It is beautiful saying the Psalms and then being led into the church sitting behind the monks watching the processional and seeing some of them wearing the purple vestments. Light streams through the window above us and Christ comes alive nourishing us.
We enjoy Sunday lunch while watching the birds and head outside. My husband and I go our separate ways since I had decided that I was going to attend None at 2:15 p.m. I go outside and walk through the cemetery. I walk and find a place to sit. I I look at Merton's grave thinking about his writings, his epiphany and his commitment to his life as a monk.
Wonder is my word for 2020. I take this time to wonder and observe.
I notice the time and quickly hurry inside feeling somewhat silly at rushing. In fact I even get a smile from someone in the elevator. I return to the church joining the monks in None noticing how it seems to fit, a shorter liturgy but no less a remember of God's presence. It is still a meaningful praying of the psalms however I recognize that my heart absorbs more when I enter slowly and more settled.I go to get a cup of coffee because by this time having not taken a nap which I realize in retrospect I probably should have observed meridian time like the monks to. Instead, I resort to a snack and caffeine, watching the birds and meeting up with my husband for another joint walk.
As I wait for him in the lobby, the monk manning the desk strikes up a conversation with me. He tells me about how he came to Gethsemani from being a parish priest adding that he was drawn to the Abbey and contemplative life because of the community. The view of the priesthood being lonely had escaped my notice. I did know however from my various experiences with silence that I valued the times when I united with others in silence.
I expressed to him how I felt distracted by wondering about the monks' life and he said that I needed to think about the Abbey as being their home. He asked me, would I walk into someone's home and begin asking questions about everything. Of course not I said, it would be rude. The concept of the Abbey being the monks' home escaped me somehow.
Another a wonderful opportunity happened while I stood there at the desk, a young man came up and the monk introduced him as Ty who had come to the Abbey as a inquirer. I told Ty I would be praying for him as I felt so excited that there were young men desiring to gave to the Abbey. Ty also mentioned that he had make a trip to Merton's hermitage of which I envied him.
I took another walk with my husband and headed across the road viewing the Abbey from a top of the hill. We walked around a while heading back inside both needing a break before vespers and dinner.
Being extremely tired by this time, after dinner, I took one more walk outside, skipped Compline and practically fell into bed. What a day, a filled with the richness of observation and conversation, of prayer and worship, of community and individuality and by the end feeling crazy because I had stayed awake way too long.
Many of your descriptions remind me of my own time at that holy place. Blessings, Tim Carson
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