Tuesday, February 16, 2010

February 17 – “Have It! . . . Have It!”




On a stirring recording made by Kent Henry, one of his musicians cries out concerning the grace and glory and nearness of God, in what can only be described as an anguish of love and faith, “Have it! Have it!” he beseeches us. It is an unforgettable moment.

So will be the moment when we say with all our hearts, “I will have You, Lord God. If You would look upon me in my sin and desperation, to make me whole and able to house Your glory, I will not be found without You.”

This having is worth the inside of a cloistered life, but those walls do not belong to all of us. We seek Him where we are, we seek Him in every difficulty, we hold on to Him when nothing makes sense and we hold on to Him until it does. We take His life for our own, and we rejoice to die daily.

This might be a fitting description of the monastic interior. Death is everywhere, death to self, to the world, to ambition, pride, fear, and even simple comforts.

When the monastery is God-ward in all its dying, the sweet fragrance of heaven fills the air.


ABBEY NOTE: Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent for many Christians.
Today marks the first day of a 40 day period of fasting and prayer for "40 Days for Life," a pro-life organization that has documented 2,168 babies saved through prayer and vigil(cases where the mothers changed their minds and told their stories to the organization,) 28 clinic workers left their jobs, and 5 abortion clinics closed. All of this is done across the street from the clinics, through prayer alone (like an open air monastery!), in concert with the prayers of more than 200,000 others. Some in Cor Unum may wish to join "40 Days for Life" with their prayers. It's a big commitment, but the results are worthy of the Abbey. You can find this organization online.


"Encased"
photo by Kerry

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