Back to Discernment

Father and I formed this little community in order to aid our young adults in discerning their vocations. And with all the drama lately, we've gotten off track. Certainly, life can seem to "get in the way", but in doing so, it often reveals maybe a stumbling block; a reason why some people can't seem to take the next step.

Our dear Sister Caprice has many many stumbling blocks, but we know that somewhere, she is serious about wanting to recognize where the Lord is calling her. And we know that because she agreed to come here and live in the monastery, which really can be quite an alien way of life. However, we aren't strict monastics; we have structure that seems to work more like that of a structured family as opposed to a religious community, perhaps because we are so small.

I've been a bit irritated with what seems to be so casual a life, but then I consider new discerners, or perpetual discerners...and I realize that they aren't ready for the rigorous schedule of hardened monastics. We are but a way station, and maybe for some, a haven that will allow them to hear God speak.

God arranges things according to the needs of the souls that come to Him, and, of course, to us, and WE, also, need to discern how the Lord is calling us to serve these in our charge.

I believe it is written into the Rule of St. Benedict that those who are new to the monastic life be given much leeway as a period of adjustment; if they must live rigorously and sacrifice too much too quickly, they may become discouraged and fail. They are used to a life of comfort; to live in a monastery is a sort of culture-shock. And so, slowly, each new person must be given the chance to adjust and slowly learn the proper sacrifices of this life.

And so, we here at our Monastery must do the same.

It seems that this is as much a learning experience for Father and I as it is for Sister Caprice and Brother Brit.