In the comment thread on the last post I wrote, there's a brief correspondence with beloved Greta, who has been an online friend for years now. We are invisible to each other, but I know she is there and that makes me happy.
But in those comments we were talking about William, and his remarks on something she said. Arising from this, a thought occurred to me.
Now, I know (because they've told me so) that many of my readers take refuge in St Alcuins as a place to be — a bit like a retreat — somewhere to go where people are kind and help one another straighten things out, and believe in the power of prayer and the presence of Jesus. And some readers keep going round the sequence of stories and start again at the beginning, just so they can stay in that place where people know how to lift one another up and listen properly, and help each other get up and start again when they stumble.
I am super-lucky of course, because I can go there every day. I see them and I know them and they get muddled up with my everyday life and comment on my thoughts and choices and what I do. It can be a bit more than I ever imagined at times. If Brother Theodore goes with you to the supermarket, how likely do you think it is he will let you go home without putting something in the Food Bank collection? Yes, you're quite right — no chance.
So I was wondering if you ever wish you could ask these men something? I wondered if you ever have a question or something bothering you, or even something you wish you knew about the 1400s in north Yorkshire, and you wanted to ask about it. I don't mean ask me, I mean ask them.
I hesitated to say this and write it down, for fear of people reading it and thinking it was a silly idea and no, they never wondered and aren't interested. But I asked Abbot John, and he was a bit busy, but shrugged and said he didn't know but if I wanted to give it a try then I have his permission.
So if there is something you wanted to ask, or to say, tell me in the comments and tell me which brother you want me to ask, and I will. I'll find out what he says, and if it's quick I'll put it in the comments, but if he goes off into a long thoughtful ramble, I'll blog it.
And if nobody at all wants to know anything and it's just a stupid idea, I'll know to just delete this post and keep my questions and conversations with them in my own private world.
Blessed be.
x Pen
21 comments:
I think I need to read the whole series again with the idea of asking questions in mind! :) I LOVE your idea!
I will meet you and the brothers soon in the warming room!
How I would love to sit with these wonderful men and soak in their love of Jesus and each other. I would like to ask our beloved Abbot John how his theology has changed over the years in the monastery and how it has changed the way he oversees the Abbey.
ooh, wonderful idea. i shall have to ponder this. as i get more deeply acquainted with the community through br. cyril's fledgeling book, i know questions will arise.
I love this so much. I pretty much just loop around your books all the time because exactly that. It helps me actually live as if Jesus is with me.
This is such a wonderful idea (Jen)
Waving to you, Jen. Big hugs. And he is, of course. xx
I love this idea. I loop round the books too, and find different things speak to me on each reading in my walk with Jesus through how the men ( and women ) relate to each other in their faith walk. I too , will ponder this .
Thank you
Hiya — waving to you. Blessed be.
Hello, I would like to hear what the brothers think about what it means to lead and influence in the way of Jesus. Of course we are not meant to seize power and influence nor do we need to clamor for our voices to be heard. But many people around me (in the church and outside) expect me to lead and influence and speak. And I do feel I have ideas and words that ought to be shared—but to whom and when? Perhaps Abbot John would be willing to speak about leadership that is humble and self-giving like Jesus. (He and Father Peregrine and the rest have already taught me so much, and I am grateful).
Thank you, Abbie. I have both your messages safely, and will see what he says. x Pen
An initial response: Abbie, could you give me a clearer idea what you mean by: "But many people around me (in the church and outside) expect me to lead and influence and speak." Are you a preacher/minister . . . or? Is your work a leadership role, or did you mean the expectations arise within your friendship group or your family? Who are the "many people", and in what context do you feel their expectations? If you would prefer the reply to this question to be confidential, say so in your reply to this comment, and I will let you know it has been received but I without publishing it here.
Thank you for your response, Abbie. I have deleted it so it cannot be made public.
*bursts in in a flurry of joy and glee* I LOVE this!
I was checking your blog for the first time in ages (because I was thinking about your books and the great glee and anticipation of still having many of them left to get and read for the first time), and man, I have missed a lot! I kept scrolling down and finding these posts like "What So-and-So wanted to ask Brother So-and-So," and getting more excited as I saw more and it looked like this must be a series. So here I finally found the post at the beginning of it, and I think it's a brilliant idea. I'll have to think about whom I want to ask what, now, because there are so many options.
This is so cool, and so is the fact that you continue writing St Alcuins books. It literally makes me SO happy when I think about the loveliness I have yet to encounter in reading the rest.
(Only now I wonder, as you're republishing, which versions I should buy! The two I personally own are from the previous publication, so if I were to get all to match, it would be those; but your new versions look lovely too. Do you think you would ever sell the entire series [both one and two] as a boxed set, or a couple of boxed sets? I would love to get them all matching in that way. Once they're all published under Humilis Hastings, will the previous publications be discontinued, anyway?)
Hello Em! Waving! Sadly, boxed sets are no longer a Thing in the modern world (except maybe children's books?)
Everything except our gradually appearing new edition is no longer available except that companies like World Books etc, who have a presence on Amazon, probably sell odd copies they've got hold of.
Everyone has a budget, so probably don't bother replacing the ones you already have, but if future books you buy are from our Humilis series, then we get the money for them (after Amazon's cut) which we split 50/50 with the Carthusian monks in West Sussex — a well worthy cause. xx
Waving back at you! Ah, that's too bad. Alas for the demise of boxed sets.
That makes sense, and the books only being available in the new editions makes it easier for me to decide which ones to buy. 😄 So yay! And yes, it's so good to know when money spent is being used for a worthy cause. That makes me glad.
~Emma (my comment posted it oddly as "Em" ;P)
👍
Something I want to ask is about healthy introspection/self-examination vs. obsessive and damaging introspection. I want so much to always do what's right and do it in the right way, without hurting any people or doing anything wrong in the process. It's such a strong desire, though, that it leads to what I've learned is a very unhealthy perfectionism, which keeps me terrified to take steps forward if they're not guaranteed to be the right ones, and then keeps me second-guessing beforehand and ever afterward about whether I did the right thing (in the right way, at the right time, to all the right effect—especially when other people are involved and will be affected).
It also manifests in the area of what I believe, not just steps I take. Say I've searched the Scriptures on a particular matter and come to believe this is what God is saying; well, how can I be sure I have the right interpretation, especially if others have also searched the Scriptures and come to a different conclusion? How will I ever know which one is right? How can I ever believe and live in confidence regarding matters that aren't black-and-white this-or-thats?
I wondered if Father John could speak to this. How can I self-examine without vortexing into a spiral of uncertainty and fear that maybe I did wrong (with no way to unequivocally prove the rightness or wrongness of the action either way)? (Or, in regard to beliefs/interpretations: a spiral of uncertainty and fear that maybe I believe something wrong, and therefore might live wrongly because of it.)
It seems like it would have to be either all or nothing: either I self-examine—to infinity and unsatisfied compulsion—or I don't self-examine—leading to blindness and arrogant self-assurance. What's in the middle? I truly don't know how to land there, and I drive myself and sometimes others crazy with this need to KNOW that I'm doing right / believing right. I would love to hear any thoughts / insights / advice Father John could share about this.
~Emma
Got it. I'll see what he says.
Many thanks!
❤️ All done. x
Yay! Going to check it out.
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