Me and the Monks

I spent Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning reflecting upon Christ on a Solitude Retreat.? I went with a bunch of pastors from the Springfield area on Monday and Tuesday to Assumption Abbey, a Trappist-Cistercian monastery near Ava, MO.? They are quite famous for their fruitcakes.? They had several of the clippings in TIME magazine and other news publications on display in the retreat center lobby.

They have a retreat center that is provided for people to come and leave the trappings of this life, including cell phone signal!? There are some very simple rooms and meals provided for a small donation.? You could go to the different masses with the monks, if you could figure out when they were!? I would be a terrible Catholic monk because I was only able to be at one complete service, the evening prayers.? I went several other times and they had already completed the services.? The schedule provided in the rooms were obviously “appoximate” times and they didn’t wait for the retreat guests.

Overall, I had a really great time with the Lord on several hikes in the beautiful Ozarks hills.? Actually only there 23 hours and just when you got acclimated to the routine, it was time to leave. ? The monastic life is quite noble for these men to give their entire lives to God through a quiet life (yes, they speak.)? Actually had a very good conversation with the Abbot, Father Mark.

I have been reading about Sabbath and rest in God.? It was good to go, next time I will carve out more TIME to go.? I could say that about a lot of things.