leaving a community

st benedict prescribes a blessing for monks
when they leave and return to the monastery

this suggests a certain amount of recognition
that monks do go out into the world
they deliver messages they promulgate
things like gregorian chant they trade in books
they engage in the business of life

the blessing forces the consciousness of belonging

however
being a wise writer and an astute observor of human nature
benedict seems to recognize as well that for the most part
the important and constant work of a community must happen
within the community itself

the world is sometimes a dangerous place
monasteries were built as strong hedges
against the willful tide of the world

franciscans and jesuits
those guys were and are daredevils
they go out there and take christ to the streets
yet they are tied into communities in a strong and binding way
whereever they go they are welcomed by their own
as are benedictines

what does it take to contemplate the ties that bind

where does the language of covenant actually lead

to decide to move away from a community is a way of deciding to look at that community from a more objective stance
in this regard religious communities have no doubt benefitted from
dedicated members who have lived away from the community
however in a spirit of prayer

i know from experience that when i am away from the community
i become sort of lazy or lazier perhaps would describe that better
and i shrug the routine of daily prayer after awhile

the receptive nature of community allows for graceful departures
and peaceful returns
this is nothing to scoff at
in our world

it shall be like departing from silence into noise
and back to silence again

what will the noise have to say

do the gyrovague boogie

(technically the term gyrovague refers to individuals who presume
a free-form approach to religious life eschewing commitment as it were
so while i fully appreciate the out-law nature of the gyrovague and the
predilection for pilgrimage - still i think it better that people get connected into community - as a way of living freely and honestly)

thoughts ramblin with thoughts of ramblin

le moine tres bleu