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By Fr. Bjorn, OES
In my search for a monastic community in which I could be fully honest authentic and still be accepted, I had the blessings of seeing how many different monasteries go about their daily life together. At first it seemed wondrous to me that the larger monasteries seemed to run as smoothly as they did, and I often wondered if they ever struggled with disagreements among the monks. August 15th was a big day at the monastery. We had two guests from out of town visiting; one who came to officiate at my Solemn Life Profession and Priestly Vows, and one who came to celebrate these two things with us. I'll be honest with you, I was right on the edge of panic that day. Life Vows is such a large commitment. Was I ready? Was I worthy? What if the monastery got struck by lightning and then a tornado hit it? By Br. Bjorn, OES
Many of us have heard, seen and felt the effects of the misuse of holy texts as an excuse for hatred, injustice, war, violence and exclusion. It is my belief that this phenomenon occurs because humans project their personal likes, dislikes, fears and desires onto their image of God, and in order to make this twisted image fit, the teachings of many holy texts must also be twisted to reflect the God that a given person wishes to see. Br. Bjorn, OES
During our most recent Friday night study hour, a reflection was sparked with me that I feel is worth sharing. It begins with the words, "just because it hurts doesn't mean it's holy".
Br. Bjorn, OES
The process of pursuing monastic vows can be downright overwhelming for some who have never experienced a monastic way of life. This statement is true to all forms of monastic practice, from Eastern to Western and every variance in between. Br. Bjorn, OES
The local news posted an article and video on this subject, which can be found here. As we become more active in our work with the impoverished in our area, we have come to recognize some of the faces and stories of the people who, for whatever reason, are driven to panhandling for their sustenance. Having been homeless myself, I feel a deep connection to the suffering that poverty brings; from the lack of resources for improving one's circumstances to the denial of basic human dignity, homelessness lays upon one's shoulders more than just the burden of having to sleep outside. |
AuthorsReflections from the monks and nuns of OES. Archives
February 2019
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