On real silence and the raucous world...

When I was in the monastery, I actually was ashamed and apologized to the Mother Prioress for the actions of many of the laity who came to the monastery. Either for retreats or for meetings, many, not all, came to the place of silence and used it without gratitude or sensitivity. The regulars were great and cleaned and fell into the rhythm of the place.

Some were using the monastery just for their own r and r, and not to actually enter into the spirit of mortification.

Today, I was reading a commentary on the Rule, and a monk wrote something which put all of this into perspective. This monk noted that the world crashes in on monastery life, using the place for its own peace, when in reality, those in the world should create their own peace instead of using and even abusing that of the monastery.

I witnessed that and it grieved me. I could see the chaos being brought into the monastery without any change in the persons who were not open to God.


These people came in and left to go right back into their noise and chaos. I felt sick and sad.

Some left a residue of it behind, to be spiritually cleaned up by the nuns, as it were.

I am glad a monk had the guts to write this commentary on the way that the world does not think or want to create its own silence.

As the monk noted, silence comes from personal discipline, not from a place.............

We all must open our hearts to God and let Him create that secret, quiet place.

Then, we carry it with us wherever we go.