A Great Trip

June 2007 I traveled to Chicago in order to spend time at the Monastery of the Holy Cross.  This by far was the best trip I have taken as a pastor.  

Probably the most reluctant of the group to study monasticism I waited until the last minute to get serious about planning my trip.  In the spring of 2007 as other group members went on their trips to monasteries throughout the United States I wondered why we hadn't chosen something different to study.  Why were we studying the monastic lifestyle?  Why hadn't we chosen something more exciting such as the similarities between Christianity and baseball or Christianity and fine dinning.  Why was I going to a place where people did not talk on purpose?  Furthermore why was I going to such a great city as Chicago in order to spend time with people who chose not to talk for large portions of the day?

I would not know the answer to these questions until I arrived in Chicago.  Upon arriving I noticed a sign on the front door asking for visitors to just ring the bell once.  I don't remember the exact words, but underneath that request were some words explaining that it might be a lengthy time before someone came to the door because of prayer.  Well, that was different and oddly comforting.  I rang the bell and no one came.  What to do?  In a world of instant gratification I was going to have to wait.  One would think this to be a terrible inconvenience, but it was great!  I had nowhere particular to be and I had rang the bell so there was nothing left to do.  I sat!  As I sat I couldn't remember the last time I just sat.  It was great.  I had flown all the way to the big city of Chicago just to remember how to sit.  I thought back to my early childhood and all the evenings my family just sat on the front porch of Nanny and Papa's house.  We used to love to just sit for a while. 

It wasn't long before Brother Edward came to introduce himself and show me to the place I would be staying.  Most days I am in charge of all my daily necessities such as food, comfort, and shelter.  On this day God was taking care of these needs through Brother Edward and the monastery.  Brother Edward explained that I could take a nap on the couch if I wanted or I could come to the next prayer time, it was totally up to me.  I slept!  With all my needs for food and a place to stay taken care of I slept good.  

To make a long story short, the prayer times were great, the silence was golden and the hospitality was simple and appreciated.  I communicated more with God on this trip than at any time I can remember.  I filled notepads with thoughts I'm sure God had tried to communicate to me for months, maybe years.  

While meeting with Brother Edward on the third day I asked why monks pull away from the world.  (I knew so very little about monasticism.)  He explained the origins of the orders and how monks would go out into the desert to do battle with satan in prayer.  He explained that this battle was on behalf of the believers.  Then he asked me a curious question, he asked why the church in our world doesn't look more monastic.  That was a good question.

Now the question for me a year and a month later is why doesn't my life look more monastic?  If this was the best trip I've taken since being a pastor why haven't I taken another like it?  If waiting was so great why I am I so impatient?  If allowing God to take care of my needs was so comforting why am I such a control freak?  Those are great questions.