Category: SolitaryLife

the paradox of the solitary

Thus the position of the monastic recluse had developed into a far more socially symbolic and responsible one: on the one hand he was now locked up within a cell deep within the monastery itself in order to concentrate wholly on God; on the other, the local community had access to that cell in order to receive his advice, counselling and accumulated wisdom.

It reminds me of the Kierkegaard quote:

Of this there is no doubt, our age and Protestantism in general may need the monastery again, or wish it were there. The “monastery” is an essential dialectical element in Christianity. We therefore need it out there like a navigation buoy at sea in order to see where we are, even though I myself would not enter it. But if there really is true Christianity in every generation, there must also be individuals who have this need . . .

10 facts

I found this very interesting article: Anchoresses: 10 facts about the Life of Solitude. Written by the same author as the novel The Anchoress. (Alright, not super happy about the term anchoress but the article is good.)

In the Middle Ages, anchoresses were usually sealed in a cell adjoining the village church to ensure that she remained safe, and so that she could hear Mass and receive the Eucharist. An anchoress freely chose to be confined in a cell so that she could pray and read, committing her life to God. Men could become anchorites similarly enclosed in a cell, but their life was not always as restricted as that of an anchoress. In some cases they could leave to travel, and some were priests who chose to be enclosed, but would leave their cell to celebrate Mass in the church.

Interesting stuff!

so …

… I have not posted in some time. Lots of things have been happening – finalising some things, I preached last Sunday, and I have simply struggled with life.

Last week, while on a search of YouTube, I found this story about the Carmelite Monastery of Christ the King:

In a modern context, the life these nuns live is extraordinary. Apart from the Carmelites I read, I have had no contact with their spirituality. A life of silence in community is a particular challenge!

But the part of the story that struck me was in the second part when the nuns speak about what they have left behind. I like the honesty and the insight that these things do not disappear because they are part of being human. Part of the life that God gives is the desire for ordered intimacy. And part of the monastic vocation is to surrender that possibility for the actuality of Jesus’ presence.

We all surrender possibility for actuality in our life. The surrender is the choice I make. That choice is marked by religious vows for some. These vows are no better nor worse than any other choice people make in following Jesus. It is a particular voice that calls each individual. And it calls each individual as a human being!

Anyway, today I rest! I have a week of online meetings and an end-of-term event.

just do it

When Abraham begins to act he does not know the result, and if we wish to be people of faith we must put ourselves in his shoes, so to speak, and also be willing to act without knowing what the results of our actions will be.

Fear and Trembling

There is a temptation (at least for me) to see everything in a modern age in terms of results: a measurable result for planning. Faith isn’t like that! Yes, subjective results that make my life better – meaning, peace, joy, love. But intangible. Not everything is measurable.

So: for me – just do it! God is calling, jump! Trust and love!

am i a criminal?

In antiquity as well as in the Middle Ages there was an awareness of this longing for solitude and a respect for what [solitude] means; whereas in the constant sociality of our day we shrink from solitude to the point (what a capital epigram!) that no use for it is known other than as a punishment for criminals. But since it is a crime in our day to have spirit, it is indeed quite in order to classify such people, lovers of solitude, with criminals.

Kierkegaard

I was reminded of the above quote from Sickness unto Death. The analogue that SK draws is really interesting. And, maybe, even more true today.

I am just a criminal who needs to be locked up for loving Jesus. And that is my understanding of heaven – Jesus and me alone!

autonomous

I had a dream last night in which I was discussing the following paragraph from “A Handbook of the Religious Life”:

This autonomous vowed life has been recognised in the Eastern and Western Churches from earliest times as an authentic Christian vocation. Because it is not a life lived in community according to the norms of the Religious Life, it does not come within the normal scope of the Advisory Council; but since it has some similarities to the situation of Religious living under vows, bishops and others have frequently referred cases to the Council.

The Advisory Council for Religious Communities [in the Church of England]

The discussion in my dream was about the word “autonomous”. The word is used in the Roman Code of Canon Law in regard to religious life. It is defined (by one website) as:

… having the freedom to govern itself or control its own affairs.

The Roman Code of Canon law defines it in this way:

A just autonomy of life, especially of governance, is acknowledged for individual institutes, by which they possess their own discipline in the Church and are able to preserve their own patrimony intact.

Can. 586 §1.

So (to make a very long and complicated dream into a somewhat understandable post), autonomous vowed life includes freedom to govern (set up one’s own rule of life), freedom to set discipline (set up a cycle of prayer etc), and freedom to bring one’s past into the vowed life (preserve patrimony).

The autonomous vowed life is therefore freely lived in communion with one’s bishop.

writing?

Yet again I have let this blog slip. Life has been a little emotional and I have struggled. In fact, the one thing I thought I could always return to, prayer, has become very hard. But life moves on and things are changing. I have had a sleep-in today and now am planning on reading a book about village life in a medieval English village.

Yesterday I read an article on anchorites which included this quote:

Manual work, for its part, can keep idleness and sloth at bay, and profit your neighbours in charity. And in particular, the writing of material that is holy and edifying to read seems commendable.

Speculum Inclusorum

The article states that Speculum Inclusorum is written for anchoresses (sic!) but I am pretty sure it is for priest anchorites. It is the one English guidance literature with which I have not had much to do. It is on top of my list of books to acquire in the future.

So, the above quote is about what an anchorite “does”. And I like that writing of “edifying” material is mentioned. In a modern context, with all the ways that one can write, it must be a very suitable and proper thing to do. Like the Carthusians, I think certain anonymity needs to be maintained. But it is a way of sharing the fruits of the life. Also, in the village people came to the anchorite for advice and counsel so maybe the internet is the modern village?!

mary?

A woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to Jesus, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!’ But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!’

Luke 11.27, 28 (from Morning Prayer)

Today is the festival of The Blessed Virgin Mary, or Mary, the Mother of Our Lord, or the Assumption of Our Lady. I feel like sometimes Mary is misrepresented in popular devotion but I cannot deny that she has a special place in God’s plan of salvation. I have no theological problem with the rosary (and the like) but they are just not for me.

Early English anchorite writers often speak of the womb of Mary as the first enclosure of Jesus. The second, of course, is the tomb. So I am offering this icon for today’s festival: