Ordinary joy

Monastic life, as distinct as it may be in many respects, has much in common with other professions: having to get up so early in the morning, saying and doing the same things over and over again, performing everyday tasks over and over again, having to stay in one general area instead of going out many places and doing a variety of things—and so on.

There are days when a monk or nun may also find these things difficult and tiresome but, having made our choice when we committed ourselves, we continue to choose to commit ourselves. We always have a choice, and we consciously choose to renew it. At times when the routine is difficult, the choice that we make and continue to make can become a source of joy and contentment, if we allow it.

Because it is here, in the midst of ordinary things, that we are invited always to enjoy our Lord and delight in His love. We don’t have to be in church to realize this. Julian wrote “The simple enjoyment of our Lord is in itself a most blessed form of thanksgiving” (Chapter 41). Julian’s words have immense resonance for our daily living in a world which we humans—beloved though we may be to God—are so often less than fully human by the way we treat each other. Any moment of any kind of beauty or gratitude or momentary comfort, as much as any moment of the otherwise unnoticed, unattended ordinary, can become simple moments of “enjoyment and thanksgiving” which are both God’s gifts to us, and ours to God.

Recent Issues

February 2024

January 2024

December 2023

November 2023

October 2023

July 2023

May 2023

January 2023

December 2022

October 2022

September 2022

July 2022

May 2022

April 2022

March 2022

January 2022

December 2021

November 2021

October 2021

June 2021

May 2021

April 2021

February 2021

January 2021

December 2020

October 2020

September 2020

August 2020

July 2020

June 2020

May 2020

April 2020

March 2020

February 2020

January 2020

December 2019

November 2019

October 2019

September 2019

August 2019

July 2019

May 2019

April 2019

March 2019

January 2019

December 2018

November 2018

October 2018

September 2018

August 2018

July 2018

June 2018

May 2018

April 2018

March 2018

February 2018

January 2018

December 2017

November 2017

October 2017

September 2017

June 2017

May 2017

April 2017

March 2017

February 2017

January 2017

December 2016

November 2016

October 2016

September 2016

August 2016

July 2016

June 2016

May 2016

April 2016

March 2016

February 2016

January 2016

December 2015

November 2015

October 2015

September 2015

August 2015

July 2015

June 2015

May 2015