Day 8 at the Genesee Monastery

I have been here at the Abbey for 8 days. It is a wonderful experience. The Monks are very kind gentle souls. They pray hard and they work hard. I am especially edified by how much they care for the senior monks. This is a concern for lots of religious communities nowadays and a real sign of the health of community life. Getting up at 2:00 AM for Vigils is really not hard at all. Actually it is really kind of nice to rise with the monks and sing the psalms.  The hard part is going to bed at 7:00 PM to be able to get up at 2:00.
I have been doing a lot of praying, reading, walking, and thinking. The whole experience has been very moving. My transfer to St. Paul's in Kensington CT has been voted on and will be announced this weekend. I already received a very nice note from a parishioner welcoming me.
Lest you think I am getting holy or something. Today for the first time I left the Monastery and went into Genesso to have a McDonalds Hamburger and a chocolate kiddie cone. Somethings never change. The food is great here but the monks eat healthy and there is no meat in their diet. You know me and eating healthy are not usually in the same sentence, hence the escape to McDonalds.

Peace and Prayers
Fr. Bob
By the way for all you skeptics who said "the poor monks" when you heard I was coming here. I have been able to keep quiet and not disturb the peace.

From the Monastery of the Genesee

I found this poem in a book I'm reading on retreat and thought I would share it with you...

Anoint the wounds
of my spirit
with the balm
of forgiveness
pour the oil
of your calm
on the waters of my heart

take the squeal
of frustration
from the wheels
of my passion
that the power
of your tenderness
may smooth
the way I love

that the tedium
of giving
in the risk of surrender
and the reaching
out naked to a world
that must wound

may be kindled
fresh daily
to a blaze
of compassion
that the grain
may fall gladly
to burst in the ground
- and the harvest abound

Dom Ralph White, 'Messiah'
as found in "The Coming of God" by Maria Boulding page 125

Great Reflection after Trinity Sunday

An Embrace

I am wading through all "my stuff" trying to clean  it out with little success I found this prayer I had placed in a scapular 20 years ago... I don't know who wrote it but it still applies to me and still touches my heart... I share it with you....

God of Truth
You know the deepest recesses of my heart.
Enter in and clear out what does not belong there.
Fill me with your goodness so that I will walk in your ways.
Create in me a strong desire to put you first in my life.

I place my hope in your constant love for me...

 Amen

Author Unknown...