I was setting up my life as a "leisure enthusiast" when the thought of another way of living occurred to me. Instead of trying to choose their own way of spending time monks (also goes for some nuns, etc.) leave it all up to their religious order.
A monk is a member of a community, leading a more or less contemplative life apart from the world, under the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
Now I know that at first it seems like a very difficult way of life in which a person gives up an awful lot. But there is another side of becoming a monk that has many attractions.
Lets look at the vows one at a time:
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#1 POVERTY:
Freedom from the burden of having your own money. The monastery takes care of your needs.
Your advantages:
-No unemployment.
No IRS
-~ No debt ~~
No credit card
No mortgage
No car loans
No student loans
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#2 CHASTITY:
Your advantages:
-No in-laws
-No crying babies
-No teenage children (rebellion, drugs, etc.)
-No infidelity
-No broken heart
-No divorce
-No divorce
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#3 OBEDIENCE:
Your advantages:
-No decisions to worry over
-No plans for your future
-All is being taken care of
Another advantage is time to focus on your spiritual life.
Instead of being:
Trying to get closer to God instead of getting closer to a company promotion or having more than your neighbors and “friends” (better car, clothes, home, etc.)
It's a mystery to me. Maybe it has to be a special calling from God.
One critical thing you forgot to mention:
ReplyDeleteNo blogging!
I'm sort of addicted to blogging, so joining a monastery would not be an option for me.
ReplyDeleteWe have a monastery just a few miles from us in Conyers, Georgia.
ReplyDeleteI have written about it on my blog before and it is beautiful!
Even though they are cloistered, they have been so wonderful for the Rockdale County community. I have read that they have the number one food bank in the whole state of Georgia. God bless them.
Also, here is a book that you might like: "All We Know Of Heaven" by Remy Rougeau..sorry, you don't know me, and I am telling you what to read!
Kay
Thanks for following my blog. Now we know each other! I'll have to check out the book.
DeleteI just did a post and did a link to your post here.
DeleteThank you for the link Kay.
DeleteAren't you joking about "no blogging"? I mean how is blogging different from writing letters, and it seems that Thomas Merton wrote tons of letters (in the midst of a tightly scheduled life)? And Merton aslo wondered why more people didn't join monasteries, and didn't really come up with an answer.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading a book at the moment about a woman who, at mid-life, explored the possibility of becoming a cloistered nun, It's written with great humour and keen observation. The book is "And Then There Were Nuns" by Jane Christmas. I've always been fascinated by a spiritual, monastic life but since I'm not a Christian, it's not really an option for me.
ReplyDeleteSounds like an interesting book.
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