Fourth week of Eastertide

On Monday, I took a car to Black Creek Preserve, a couple of miles North of the monastery on Route 9W. I took a contemplative two mile hike to the Hudson River and back. I was on my own most of the time. I crossed two couples and two adults with six young children. Everyone wore masks and I stepped aside a good six feet away when our paths crossed. People were jovial and happy to greet one another at a distance. 

What struck me was the quality of just sprouted green leaves against a crystalline sky. I love the look, feel and color of new leaves in the spring. They are so full of vitality and potentiality. I often walk the trails at the monastery itself. And if I venture out I walk a couple hundred yards south on Route 9W before turning right on quieter roads towards the Slabsides Sanctuary. But sometimes, you want a change of scenery. I know a lot of us can relate to that painfully in these pandemic days.

Nascent greenery. Top four pictures: sprouting leaves in Black Creek Preserve. Lower four pictures, clockwise from left: lookiing back at my cell from the daffodil-surrounded cherry tree; red dead-nettle might seem a weed but it is a beautiful one; pink dogwood behing St Augustine's church; a zoom-ready desk (I put the cut flowers in the background for my meeting companions to enjoy).

Last Sunday, Br. Josép had organized a community work session to move all the church furniture to the center of the room. The objective was to leave a six feet clearance all around for the painters to use their mobile scaffolding. It took eight of us to safely move the biggest pieces (altar table and choir stalls). Unhooking and bringing down the icon cross was a bit of an adventure. I hope to take close-up pictures of the various scenes painted on the sides of the cross before we hoist it back in place. Everybody contributed and we were done in under 40 minutes. "Many hands make light work."

Clearing the church. From top left, clockwise: Br. José with helpful laniards to move the furniture and the photographer photographed by Br. Randy; the stacked visitors court chairs stacked and covered in the middle; the bell-tower wall in all its distress; the same with a nice shadow effect from our masked painters; the altar with its marble slab removed; unveiling three relics that live in the altar in normal time.

The painters arriverd early on Monday and will be at work for a few weeks. By the end of the week most of the church was primed to receive a coat of linen off-white paint.

The church being prepared for painting. It is when pristine white primer is applied next to untouched walls that one realizes how far from white our walls had become in 26 years since the last painting.

This past week we observed three Contemplative Days from Tuesday to Thursday. We were in round-the-clock silence (we didn't meet for daily chapter). We observed a simplified liturgical schedule and refrained from other than light work to focus on prayer, meditation, study and similarly holy leisure (otium). 

This week, I read somewhere that Romans aspired to live a life of leisure (otium) unencumbered by too much negotium (not leisure) which is how they described the unsavory task of work or business. Many of us are currently forced to otium whether they like it or not while others, of necessity, take disproportionate risks to enable us to continue to function. How will we renegotiate all that in the "new normal" that will take shape in the aftermath of this pandemic?

This week, we received a batch of practical, effective and dare I say fashionable face masks that our bookkeeper Toni did in her spare time. I love to see how so many of us are finding ways to be of help and support to one another.

Monastery scenes. From top left, clockwise: moody sky over the Hudson river; garden tulips in the coffee area; more tulips gracing the central table in the refectory while Br. Randy sets out the dishes; Br. Bernard sporting one of our new masks; a spectacular parrot tulip; Brothers Robert Leo and John awaiting the signal that dinner is served.

Keep safe. Be well. You are and remain in our prayers.