Recently a group from Christ Church Cathedral went to the
Abbey of Gethsemani, and I had the opportunity to tag along. It was a
spectacular fall day. Dr. Glenn Hinson, who has a very close relationship with
the monks of Gethsemani, and who was a personal friend of Thomas Merton, led
the way. Glenn had arranged for a friend of his at the Abbey, Brother Paul
Quenon, OCSO, to give us a tour of the Hermitage where Merton spent much time.
The Hermitage is a very, very humble abode. Like the Abbey,
prayer hangs in the air of the Hermitage like incense rising from glowing
charcoal. Brother Paul is man of good cheer who was happy to hike with us into
the woods that cradle the Hermitage and to answer our many questions.
Brother Paul also told us of his spiritual practice of
taking time to be intentionally fully present to God and to the moment,
and of how he often writes haikus as part of this spiritual discipline. The
form of haiku he writes is a line of 5 syllables, a line of 7 syllables, and
then a line of 5 syllables. He shared several from his tattered notebook.
While I perused the amazing store at Gethsemani, I noticed a
wonderful little book that Brother Paul authored with 2 others entitled, “The
Art of Pausing.” It is a book of the 99 names of God, with one of Brother
Paul’s haikus, a short meditation and sometimes a photograph to illuminate each
name of God. I have enjoyed reading one of the names, haikus and meditations
each day.
This afternoon I was given a gift in this hectic time of the
year to simply be present in the moment. Our Deacon, The Reverend Paula Ott,
helps to care for her granddaughter, Elizabeth (9 months old), while
Elizabeth’s parents are at work. Due to a meeting at the Cathedral that Paula
needed to attend, I offered to watch Elizabeth in my office. Little Elizabeth and I
played with some of her toys, and then she was hungry for a bottle. After the
formula was gone she promptly fell asleep on my lap. I knew that if I moved
Elizabeth would wake up, so there we sat on the couch in my office, a gift
of time to be fully present in that moment. And so to barrow a spiritual
practice from Brother Paul, here is my first haiku to meditate on that moment
with little Elizabeth.
Baby sleeps on lap
Lap owner snoozes on couch
Both are at peace now
Peace be with you.
The Reverend Brent Owens+
No comments:
Post a Comment