Keeping Vigil

Lectio Divina

I praise you ... for you raised me up....

Psalms 30:2

Library

Finished The Ecumenical Revolution, thanks be to God. Maybe I will finish reading The City in History before novitiate ends!

Opened the pages of a book by the French philosopher Simone Weil (you must at least read a capsule biography about her): The Need for Roots: Prelude Towards a Declaration of Duties Towards Mankind (London: Routledge, 2002). I don't like all her ideas, but then again I am having difficulty following her reasoning, so I need to slow down with this one. I may put it down pretty soon, but I hope to stick with it.

Log

Five weeks left in California. This class of novice brothers has lived together day and night without separation or vacation for 54 weeks. Talk about intimacy!

The plumbing in the kitchen is being repaired. It's a significant undertaking that will shut down the entire kitchen next week, the week we are on retreat in Malibu. For this week and perhaps until the end of the month, the dishwasher will be shut down. We are being asked to use disposable cups, plates, and cutlery. No, they are not biodegradable. I am distressed about this. We are Franciscans: we can do better than this.

This morning, Mass at Saint Raphael, a parish in Goleta, close to the city of Santa Barbara. A good liturgy and a heartfelt homily from the deacon, but I was feeling too preoccupied to be really present with the people of the parish.

This afternoon, began, with my fellow Province of Saint Mary brothers, planning the liturgy for our first profession ceremony. Felt odd to be doing this, since we have not yet been formally admitted into vows! But, we went ahead anyway, hoping for imminent good news this week.

So there we are: Keeping vigil until the provincial minister makes a decision on my request for vows. Feeling moody and a little melancholy today.


Weather

Cool and cloudy in the morning, and I rather wish it had stayed that way. But who is truly human who would begrudge the sun for shining?