Vocation as a 'man of prayer'

[Patrick Walsh]

Greetings and Blessings

I have returned from my visit to the first monastery on my vocational discernment. The abbot of the monastery has told me that he believes that my vocation is to be "a man of prayer." The cross of Usher's Syndrome (blindness and deafness) prevent me from performing many of the typical obediences at a monastery such as cooking, working on the grounds, etc. I still think I can cook very well, but I need to set up the kitchen the way I want it, but that is another issue.

Unfortunately, as much as the abbot would like, he is unable to accept application. He says the monastery is very small and very poor. I am also tentative to go there because if I am to answer this call of being "a man of prayer," I would need someone with a great deal of spiritual experience and time to devote to guiding me.

The life of the wandering pilgrim in "The Way of the Pilgrim" seems to be perfect for me, except for the problem of my disabilities. And I do not think such a life in the West is possible. There is too much violence, drugs, and destruction on the streets now.

I will visit a much larger monaster, if all goes well, at the end of this month. But I am curious as to what practical lifestyles would be appropriate for "a man of prayer." I work now, and make a very good living, but have little time for prayer. If I go to a monastery, I will work, and not make much money, and still have little time for prayer. So what to do?

Patrick

[Theopesta]

Mr.Patrick,
you're welcome back, the work in the monastery not only in kitchen, but also, the monasteries need the experiance of the engineer, knowing languages
and you can find the chance for obedience where you go, even if you are alone, you can obey a small bird, or simple worker in the monestary.

I think the prayers print themselves on everything on the man --his countinance, his walk, his standing and seting even in his clothes,
I wish to you all success
warm regards, pray for me

[Nick S.]

Patrick,

Why would you have little time for prayer at a monastery? In the last monastery I visited, Holy Archangels in Texas, the cell rule of prayer was 3 and 1/2 hours long, besides all the services and the constant repetition of the Jesus Prayer. I am also trying to find a monastery to live in. I plan to visit St. John of Shanghai and SF monastery in California in January. What monastery are you going to visit next?

[katya the nurse-aid]

Receiving and giving, how close that ways….
One after one and days after days…
Like water which pours down the sand…
The sand saying yes to it in the end…
And rain also needs to be giving itself…
To flow out own fullness and riches itself..
The process is in the accepting that will…
When two become one in the process of heal!
And sand must be dry and rain must be free!
To process fulfilled that law of us become we!
And when we are ready, and when we are free
We can clearly except that signal from others, like from Thee!
Because when we are open our hearts to other souls…
HE become that invisible absorbing filter for our souls…
And if we are open and willingly free…
He is purifying our giving out water, for free!
HE is in the midst, as He promised, as Will!
And HE is the one who transform that giving into heal!
By cleansing all dirt and all heavy deal…
HIS massage is pure and it is joyful to feel!
When clearly and sure you know: you gave,
You know it was taking into, like into sacred cave…
You know this by loosing yourself, yet also receive…
Empty, but light and easy to move forward and forgive…
And whole universe is filled with that Yes…
Accepting and giving away to the rest…
That how its all sustain and exist…
HIS Will IS the first among others,
for that process become endless Feast!

[Marie-Duquette]

So, the question seems to be "Who is a man/woman/person of prayer?"

perhaps one who is "becoming living prayer!"

[Patrick Walsh]

I had visited Holy Cross Hermitage in West Virginia. The prayer rule is about an hours or so--as far as I understand it. My information is limitted to what all monks receive, and not their individual prayer rules, so it may be much more than this. The monks tell me they have little time to do prayers beyond their services and the prayer rule. One monk said the life of the author of "The Way of the Pilgrim" seems like a dream to him.

Since I am visually impaired it takes me about 4 hours to read all these prayers. I have to go very slow, and word by word, no looking ahead to speed things up. I have great difficulty finding the beginning of the next line after reaching the end of the line, so small prayer books are better for me. The Jordanville book is almost perfect, but still I go slow.

The next monastery I will visit is Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville. I started my vocational search more than a year ago. Also, I am feeling the presence of a guiding hand in my discernment, that of Metropolitan Philaret of New York, who has just passed his 20th Anniversary in repose. Holy Trinity is the place of his repose.

I was most amazed to find Metropolitan Philaret's klobuk at Holy Cross though. It seems that everywhere I turn, there he is. I was also at Holy Trinity for his memorial Liturgy and Pannhidda. Met. Philaret guided me to the Church I now attend, and his writtings have given me the strength to perservere amidst difficulties, He just seems to show up at the time I need him the most.

Patrick

[Nick S.]

Wow. That is really cool. Has he been canonized? Will he become canonized?

Also, I have a question: do you only want to visit a ROCOR monastery? Are you able to memorize any prayers so you don't have to read them all the time? At many monasteries, the Jesus Prayer is constantly prayed by all the monks. Even after services and prayer rules are complete, praying the Jesus Prayer constantly allows for unceasing prayer even while working and doing lots of other things. Although the monks are not wandering pilgrims, they have the prayer of the pilgrim embedded in their hearts at any given moment.

[Patrick Walsh]

Metropolitan Philaret's remains have been examined recently, and they are incorrupt. Many priests I know say that he will indeed be glorified very short order. Some of them are absolutely certain of this.

All the monks at Holy Cross stressed the Jesus Prayer. It is, according to the Philokalia, the equivalent of reading the entire bible in church--the power of the name of the Lord is the essence of this prayer. I perhaps gave the wrong idea of things at Holy Cross in my ignorance of things. I also misstated that I celebrated the Liturgy and Panhidda of Met. Philaret at Holy Trinity, when I meant to say Holy Cross. Gives you an idea of how hard written text is for me.

I am able to memorize vast tracts of information, so in a matter time I will be able to do all these prayers strictly from memory. I have hesitated to do so since I may need to memorize them in Slavonic and not English as yet.

I belong to ROCOR, and wish to confine myself to ROCOR.

In Christ
Patrick