So there is a lot of sadness around this decision all around: from our brothers, from our staff, from our visitors and our guests, and from our Associates. We pray for everyone involved. We long for the day when we can welcome people back into our monastery. In the meantime, we have been touched by the many messages of understanding and support.
And this, of course, comes at a time of deep sadness, anger, frustration and anxiety at the nature of policing in many of our cities. I pray with many of the names of those unarmed black and brown people who have been slain by the police. I pray we will reform the police to really be a peace-enhancing force that only intervenes where proper social services cannot suffice for the job.
And I pray I may learn to recognize and understand my white privilege more to help dismantle it. I don't know if any of my fellow white people have figured this out. But we'll need to do that for the sanity and wellness of all people (of all colors). We (anti-racist allies) probably need to put all of our heads and hearts together on this one.
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This past week, I was the bellringer. It involves getting to church before most monks get there to light the candles, ring the warning bell and turn on the lights. And at the time of the office proper to ring the bell again in a structured series of rings. In this season of Pentecost, we ring the Angelus; three sets of three rings followed by a set of nine rings. You can say the threefold Angelus prayer while the bell is rung.
In the morning, we light the 18 hour votives that will keep watch near important icons or statues. I loved candles and enjoy this early summoning of more light in the church. As I light the candles, I also enjoy looking at all the flower arrangements that embellish our church at this season. As I put down a votive near the Mother and Child statue, I pay attention to not disturb one or another Brother who may have slipped into the church early to pray in front of the reserved sacrament.
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| Lighting the candles in the morning. From top left, clockwise: after lighting four votives in the sacristy, the bellringer does the round of the church; first stop, the votive near the icon of the church's patron, St Augustine; in the process, I always delight in the flowers that decorate the church. |
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In mid-week, we celebrated the feast of Corpus Christi. I always take some Belgian pride in this feast that was advocated by St Juliana of Liege (Julienne de Cornillon, in French) in the twelfth century. The feast is also called "la Fete-Dieu" in French which I would translate as God's Feast. This Thursday, our Brother Max preached a good sermon on our hunger for the Eucharist. It is certainly the case that missing out on the bread and wine of Eucharist is one of the very sad facts of the Covid-19 pandemic for many Christians.
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| Light and flowers. From top left, clockwise: in the afternoon the sun projects the irregularities of the windows' antique glass on the sacristy wall; what a difference a bloom makes - Br. Josép added a dark orange rose to the bouquet of pink ones, heightening the vibrancy of the whole; we used a reproduction of part of Salvador Dali's Last Supper on the icon stand for Corpus Christi (here in the sacristy under an origami bird by Br. Laurence). |
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Meanwhile, the construction work on the new elevator shaft in our Guest House is approaching completion. The new elevator is being manufactured and we hope to have it installed by the beginning of next year (fingers crossed).
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| Getting ready for Sunday Mass. The orchid is offered in memory of Br. Bernard Van Waes whose anniversary of death was this week. Br. Luc, having done his job as Assistant Sacristan, can rest and center in preparation for the service. |
May health and wellness be yours. Peace!
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