I was fascinated--FASCINATED I tell you-- with this sign. I must have spent half of my commute staring at it and pondering it. I mean there are so many different things to think about! At the end, I was intrigued by how happy, fulfilled, intellectually stimulated and diverse they all looked. Although my monk loyalties have always been firmly with the Jesuits (this is based entirely on the book "Silence"), I felt a certain kinship with the men in the ad. I found myself thinking that surely being a Franciscan would be a definite step to life-long bliss. I would have seriously considered it for myself except for the fact that I'm not 1) Catholic, 2) male, and 3) willing to be celibate the rest of my life.
But as I stood there pondering the state of the Catholic church, the continued existence of Franciscan monks, and mostly a life officially and very publicly dedicated to Christ and forgetting self to serve others, somehow the cloud from my mind lifted, my morning prayer for clarity in my mind was answered AND the answer I had been looking for came almost without me realizing it. And my typical feelings of peace and calm returned to me. The Lord works in wonderful and mysterious ways.
And, I really really love that subway ad. On so many levels.
4 comments:
Wow, those monks do look like a happy group! Especially the Asian monk pointing to the tall bald guy, kind of like he's making fun of him. Who knew monks liked to kid like that! Certainly seem like a fun-loving bunch!
I am glad you are not going to convert - we need you at Thanksmas!
PS, there is a monastery by my parents home in Huntsville that has been there FOREVER. The monks are all dying and they are not getting new recruits...thus the ad! I have put two and two together here. It all makes sense.
looe at what I learned today- ow to comment. How was the trip over the deep?
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