Lord, One Day At A Time Is All I Ask

When I was a young monk, one of the seniors told me that it takes time to get into monastic life. He mentioned how it was around 10 years before he even began to get into the interior grove of his vocation. Being only 23 at the time, I thought what he said absurd. Yet here I am almost 50 years later, and I still have not quite got it.

I bump into things, fumble along, fail, get up, and in spite of my bumbling, I sense grace at work, and healing going on, and change that seems to happen overtime on its own. It is grace, mercy, and God's compassion.

I sense this in those who come here. I am often humbled by their faith, courage, and a deep trust in God's love and mercy. Yet, they also find it slow going, one day at a time, prayer, and seeking to grow in love.

Humility is needed because self-knowledge makes the soul aware of its wounds, failures, and need of deep inner healing. Our sins, addictions, and compulsion I believe flow from deep wounds that can only be healed by trusting in God's secret work in our souls.

It is not about self-pity, or despair, or neurotic guilt, but about the truth that will set us free.

All we need do is to 'show up'. Get up, and yes, trust, trust, trust. -Br.MD