Lessons from the Monastery
By Dave
“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature – trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence… We need silence to be able to touch souls.”
- Mother Teresa
At the end of September I went on retreat at the beautiful Worth Abbey. I am almost apprehensive about sharing about my time with the monks, I don’t want to cheapen something of such worth (no pun intended). I shall not write on here all I learnt, I fear I couldn’t even if I wanted to, but instead I shall share with you the three main lessons I learnt.
1. Silence is important in getting to know God.
On the Saturday I observed a four hour silence. To start with my head filled up with things I needed to get done and people I needed to see. As the time ticked by however all of the roles I play were removed. In the silence I was no longer a teacher, a friend, a brother, a son. I was just ‘me’ sitting there waiting in silence to meet with God. I can’t describe how powerful the silence is. I probably haven’t been silent for four hours since I learnt to talk. It was only when all the noise and hustle had been cleared from my head that I was able to hear the quiet voice of God.
2. Place is important in getting to know God.
On Saturday Father Rod spoke to us about how important it is to create a sacred space in your home which is dedicated to meeting with God. I have never really had a set place to meet with God before, I know God is everywhere and we can talk to him at anytime wherever we are, but having a set place focuses the mind. At the Abbey my set place was the Monastic garden. I spent much of my time walking in the gardens, praying and thinking. Since returning I have converted a little corner of my sitting room into my sanctuary.
3. People are important in getting to know God.
What hit me the most about the monks is how they live in community. The rule of St Benedict, which the Brothers follow, has this to say about community
Let them accept each other’s frailties (of body or soul). Let them try to outdo each other in obedience. Let no one do what is best for himself, but rather what is best for another. Let them expend the charity of brotherhood in chaste love.
The Brothers lived this beautifully I have never met such a wise, kind and loving bunch of men in my life. I’m sure there are days when living in community is tough but from what I witnessed the community they share is authentic, open and an amazing testimony to the intentions of St Benedict.
So there you go they are some of the things I learnt at Worth Abbey. God taught me a lot more than that, but i’m not going to share anymore on here, what I will say though is that I don’t think my faith and life will ever look the same after being a part of a monastery. Now the real challenge begins though as I work out how to apply the practices of monastic sanctuary to my everyday life.
For more information on taking part in a monastic retreat at Worth Abbey visit their website here, or you can watch the BBC documentary filmed at Worth Abbey below on YouTube it is online in 18 parts. |
