Monastic Retreats for Dummies - Prayer, Solitude, and Silence for the Rest of Us

Mepkin Abbey turned out to be more significant than I thought. Don't get me wrong, the minute I pulled out of my driveway in West Columbia to drive that way, it was huge personal win.

I left two hours later than I should have. That was normal. Check-in at MA is 1-4 in the afternoon. I left around 1:45 but had two stops due north of my destinations so . . . I did not get there until about 4:20.

I already felt spiritually over matched. Around 22 monks live at Mepkin Abbey. Some are in their 80's and 90's. I am not sure if any of them have sinned very much. I mean, there was no internet, no cable t.v., or anything that might cause a person's mind/heart to steer off course. Here are guys, who have been at this prayer, silence, and solitude thingy for as long 65-70 years. Their first daily prayer meeting is at 3:20 a.m. Those who had not figured it out were long ago court marshaled or had faced a firing squad.

My beliefs about God are different than those guys at Mepkin Abbey. But to totally dismiss their experience with God because of the apparent theological flaws might cause me to miss something. I do believe in theological non-negotiables. However, my list has shrunk over the years. I confess.

So, the journey to M.A. began with a profuse apology to the monk in charge of check-in. The only thing that made me comfortable was his baldness. Little did I know that God had me right where He wanted me. Apologetic and spiritually over matched.

I remember what my Uncle Harold told me years ago. I was a highly motivated, sixth grade basketball player. "Always play with people that are better than you." That is a great principle in spiritual growth. I will talk to you more about why I shy away from Uncle Harold's advice tomorrow. Maybe you will see why you do too, if you do.