Monk in the World – Page 7 – REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES

How to Be a Monastic and Not Leave Your Day Job:

An Invitation to Oblate Life

Brother Benet Tvedten

How to Be a Monastic and Not Leave Your Day Job is a great place to start if you are considering the life of an Oblate. This was the first book on the monastic lifestyle that I read two years ago. At 119 pages with short flowing chapters it’s a easy introductory read.

Br. Tvedten does an excellent job giving us historical background to Benedictine spirituality, the values for daily living and what it actually means to become an Oblate. He includes a wonderful list of Benedictine titles many of which I have read and will be reviewing here in the future.

I highly recommend How to Be a Monastic and Not Leave Your Day Job: An Invitation to Oblate Life by Brother Benet Tvedten. It was after reading this book that I knew without a doubt the Benedictine spiritual path was where I belonged.

IN A MONK IN THE WORLD WE ARE LEARNING THE TEACHINGS AND PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN MONASTICISM AND HOW WE CAN APPLY THEM TO OUR LIVES OUTSIDE THE MONASTERY WALLS.

Stability is a vow taken by a Benedictine monk binding her to residence for life in the same monastery in which she made her vow.

Many of us outside the monastery walls change jobs, houses, cars and partners as quickly as we change our clothes. The idea of staying in the same place of residence our entire life is unimaginable!

Stability is also a critical aspect of addiction recovery. When I was practicing addiction and emotional pain would show up, the first thing I wanted to do was escape.

If I couldn’t numb out with a substance then I wanted to run away. Some how I thought the pain inside wouldn’t follow me, but of course, it always did.

Even after years of recovery there are days I struggle with the need to escape. But God gently pulls me back to a place of stability.

Stability centers us in something Greater than ourselves so nothing less than ourselves can sweep us away.
Stability requires listening and acceptance. We must quiet ourselves and listen to what the situation is it trying to teach us.
Stability takes the monotonous and creatively betters it. Once we accept the situation freedom comes and we find the creativity to improve it.

The world clamors for us to change everything about ourselves.

Stability asks us to stay and grow so that change may come.

RESOURCES:

Seeking God: The Way of Saint Benedict by Esther de Waal
Monk Habits for Everyday People: Benedictine Spirituality for Protestants by Dennis Okholm
How to be a Monastic and Not Leave your Day Job by Br. Benet Tvedten

Wisdom Distilled from the Daily: Living the Rule of St. Benedict by Joan Chittister, OSB

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