Author: an absurd monk

… all voices sound different in solitude!

compassionate Jesus

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. … When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

I am always struck by how compassionate Jesus is in the gospels. Much more than me. It is something I aim to be but often fail. So, Lord, help me to be more like You!!!

strange day

Today, in many ways, has been a very strange day. I feel like I have not got started, like I have been chasing my own, for most of the day. The picture above is from the drive to church – it was so foggy that I had to really concentrate.

So now I am going to have a rest! Might watch some TV. Blessed Sunday to you all.

new monasticism?


Father, I abandon myself into Your hands, do with me what You will. For whatever You may do, I thank You. I am ready for all, I accept all, let only Your will be done in me, as in all Your creatures: I wish no more than this, O Lord. Into Your hands I commend my soul I offer it to You with all the love of my heart. For I love, You, my God, and so need to give myself, to surrender myself into Your hands without reserve and with boundless confidence, for You are my Father. Amen.

Prayer of Charles de Foucauld

I found the above on an Anglican website about the religious life. I have been reading a number of these and finding them very helpful. I have created a page (Anglican Religious Life) that has links to various communities and “committees”.

Anyway, I will leave you with that for today. Have a Jesus filled day!!!

personal mission statement

I have been thinking about a personal mission statement. Something that will focus my life going forward. Not easy! I want to keep it short and general but focused. So I have started with this: I want to follow Jesus in sacrificial love.

I want to follow Jesus in sacrificial love.

I think I should make that fuller in my own mind, but it is a good starting point. If I make it too wordy and complex I will get lost in the details. So here is my starting point.

Do you have a personal mission statement?

questioning

Spiritual guidance affirms the basic quest for meaning. It calls for the creation of space in which the validity of the questions does not depend on the availability of answers but on the questions’ capacity to open us to new perspectives and horizons. We must allow all the daily experiences of life—joy, loneliness, fear, anxiety, insecurity, doubt, ignorance, the need for affection, support, understanding, and the long cry for love—to be recognized as an essential part of the spiritual quest.

Nouwen, Spiritual Direction

I have been listening to Henry Nouwen’s book on spiritual direction. I have not read much by him so I am super impressed with this book. Especially as an audiobook that I can listen to while doing other things.

So I thought I would share the above. Questioning is important and very much part of the journey into Jesus.

rule of life?

I have been thinking more and more about updating my Rule of Life. I have read a couple of books. But most of all I think I have found a vocation. I am not ready to share it yet but it is pretty strong at the moment.

So, I found the blog for one of the books I have been reading, Crafting a Rule of Life. I have been trying to find a PDF of the rule template so that I can work on it. But no luck so far!

I was wondering: do you have a formal rule of life you follow? I mean one that is worked out and written down? Most people have a rhythm to their spiritual life. But have you sat down and wrote it down?

Anyway, Day 99!