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“Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, ‘You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’”
Too many years ago I was visiting New Mellerrey Abbey outside of Peosta, Iowa. A Trappist Monastery started by Irish monks in the 1800’s, it is located in the rolling hills near Dubuque, always welcoming to visitors or those who wish to quietly pray or share in their times of prayer throughout the day. Along with my aunt and great aunt we paid a visit, shared a time of prayer and was invited to eat in the guest dining hall. (I didn’t hesitate to accept.) A simple meal (buffet style) embellished with monastic hospitality prompted me to find the cook to thank him. When I inquired, a short elderly monk, Brother Bernard, appeared from the busy kitchen area with a slight smile on his face. Introducing myself I thanked him for the meal. With a broader smile he humbly said thank you, but he admitted to knowing very little about the finer points of cooking, baking or for that matter, running a kitchen preparing meals for the monks and for the daily visitors. He explained how the abbot asked him to take over the kitchen duties despite his lack of experience, letting go of his responsibility as the beekeeper for the monastery. He smiled graciously and thanked me, praising instead those who work alongside him in the kitchen. Brother Bernard returned to his duties in the kitchen, seemingly at peace with his vow of obedience (regardless of how unprepared) and the humility of what little he could offer, with a distinct grace of joy despite having no possessions or creature comforts that would typify our daily existence. So long ago and yet I recall his grace and humility and peace, as if yesterday, an encounter fashioned by God, challenging me time and again to examine my reliance on material possessions, being recognized, and ordering my daily life around “convenience.” Often I fail, and by the grace of faith I do encounter “Brother Bernard moments,” giving me inner peace and a certain poverty of spirit. St. Ignatius calls such a “holy indifference,” not consumed by the impulse to acquire more, or seeking attention to ourselves.
“Service which is rendered without joy helps neither the servant nor the served. But all other pleasures and possessions pale into nothingness before service which is rendered in a spirit of joy.” (Mahatma Gandhi) Again, a thank you to those who pledged a donation to the 2021 Diocesan Annual Appeal (Together As One). For those who are considering a pledge/donation, I prayerfully ask to consider the support it offers our diocesan ministries and outreach programs, and those of our own on the parish level. Of all the programs the Annual Appeal supports, Vocation Awareness and Seminary formation remains so relevant for our parishes. Zach Jones who is in his final year of formation at the North American Seminary in Rome was recently ordained to the transitional diaconate. Next summer he will be ordained to the priesthood for our diocese. As autumn brings forth cooler temperatures and the changing colors, we leave behind the heat and dry conditions of summer. Despite the extreme weather conditions our parish grounds and facilities have endured, each of our three church sites has retained a welcoming and dignified appearance. Thanks to the parishioners and hired help who have quietly and faithfully nurtured our grounds through the weeks of summer. We have three Catholic Churches in our county reflecting the hospitality of our gatherings, and the dignity of the Eucharist we share. During these Forty Days of Life—Sept. 22nd to Oct. 31st—the world wide movement is focused on prayer and fasting as a peaceful means to protect the most vulnerable, especially the unborn. May we reflect upon two of their daily devotionals: “May all understand more deeply that the pro-life message is rooted in the two basic truths of life: 1)There is a God; 2)He isn’t me.” “In any effort to protect and defend life, let us appeal not only to the special revelation of Scripture, but also to the general revelation of science and the created order.”
God Bless, Fr. Tim
FYI: Concerning monasteries and monastic life: “First and foremost, the monk should own nothing in this world, but he should have as his possessions solitude of the body, modesty of bearing, a modulated tone of voice, and a well-ordered manner of speech. He should be without anxiety as to his food and drink, and should eat in silence.”
(Saint Basil)
