Bryan Sherwood

Phos Hilaron: Hail Gladdening Light

From the Book of Common Prayer:

O gracious Light,
pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven,
O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed!

Now as we come to the setting of the sun,
and our eyes behold the vesper light,
we sing your praises O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices,

O Son of God, O Giver of life,

and to be glorified through all the worlds.

The Phos Hilaron became a part of my vespers liturgy some time ago when I started using the BCP for daily prayer.  I always found this hymn to be quite beautiful but never really knew the history behind it until recently. Phos Hilaron is an ancient hymn prayer, dating back to the 3rd century or perhaps even earlier. Some attribute it to St. Athenogenes (died c. 305). He was a bishop and ultimately a martyr that was killed under the reign of Emperor Diocletian. Some say Athenogenes sang the Phos HIlaron with joy as he entered the flames.

The Phos Hilaron is to be sung in the evening at the lighting of the lamps and is sometimes referred to as the "Lamp-lighting hymn." Wikipedia states that:

At that time in Jerusalem a lamp was kept perpetually burning in the empty tomb of Christ, its glow a symbol of the living light of Jesus. As Christians gathered to worship the hymn was sung and, in a tradition known as the lighting of the lamps, a candle lit from the lamp was brought forth from the tomb, its bright, solitary flame calling the church to celebrate the Risen Lord.

This ancient hymn has been a regular part of evening prayer for Anglicans, the Eastern Church and Lutherans, to name a few.  I continue to pray it in the evenings and in so doing, I feel connected to the ancient church through the words of this beautiful hymn.

I'm glad to know a bit more of its history.  I hope you've found it helplful too.  Pax.

Global Food Crisis - A Day of Fasting & Prayer

As many of you know, there is a food crisis in our world today that has worsened recently due to several factors, including rising fuel costs.  Compassion International is asking for all of us to participate in a day of prayer and fasting on Wednesday, June 25.  I plan to participate and I hope you will too.  Go to Compassion's website if you'd like to learn more as well as to sign up if you plan to pray/fast on Wednesday.

From Compassion's website:

The global food crisis is forcing millions to go hungry. Please join us on June 25, 2008, for a day of prayer and fasting for those suffering.

What is the global food crisis?

The World Food Programme calls the global food crisis a phenomenon, a "silent tsunami," that is affecting families in every nation on every continent. Food prices for popular menu items like rice, wheat and beans have doubled in the last year. Though increases in food prices have hit all budgets, it's the poor who bear the brunt of price inflation. The higher prices are forcing people who survive on just $1 a day to spend upwards of 80 percent of their budgets just on food.  As a result, many people, including millions of children, are going hungry. The longer food prices rise, the more people will be plunged into hunger and poverty.

A Fire At Little Portion Monastery

Please offer prayers for Little Portion Monastery. Their chapel and common center burned to the ground last night. Their library was lost along with their community archives. John Michael Talbot writes:

We lost some most valuable things in the fire. Our community archives were lost and all of the books in our library. The Troubadour stockroom and inventory were lost to the flames. All of the various awards received were melted in the intense heat of the fire. We have some back-ups from computers, but nothing current. It is our hope that most of this is covered by our insurance.

God gave members various words or locutions. I shared that God is stripping us back to what is really essential to our way of life and that we will rebuild with greater efficiency, but in stone. Someone got the image of Gideon, who was repeatedly told by the Lord that he needed fewer men, but men well-prepared for battle. Another said that she got a word that God is with us through this trial. These served to inspire us and to keep our spirits hopeful and filled with faith, hope, and love. I believe we may have lost some buildings, but He will make us stronger for going through this together.

What a terrible loss and yet the community there appears strong and determined to build again. Please keep them in your prayers.

You can see photos here.

Pax.

Retreat at The Close

This past weekend was busy but good. Heather and I picked up Jeana and drove down to The Close Retreat Center early on Saturday morning to catch up with the rest of the St. Pat's folks who went down Friday night. It was a good day. We met for Morning Prayer, spent time Hiking in the woods, ate lunch together, hung out and talked, etc. A perfect end to the day as we gathered in the chapel and shared bread and wine together in the Eucharist.

I dusted off my camera and took it along for the weekend. If you like tulips, old cemetery stones, not to mention a few pics of the retreat, check out my Flickr page.

Pax.

It Happened Again . . .

In God alone is my soul at rest; my help comes from him. He alone is my rock, my stronghold, my fortress; I stand firm. (from Psalm 61)

I've been praying the Divine Office in some form or fashion since the summer of 2003. It's hard to believe that it's been almost five years but time does fly by. Many times when I come to the office and begin to pray, there are words or phrases that seem to jump out at me and it's almost always the very thing I need to hear that day. I am often reminded that the Spirit works in this ordinary practice of praying the Psalms. I can't explain it, I just know it happens.

Pax.

A Prayer for Holy Week

O God, for whom all things are possible, you have highly exalted your suffering Servant, who did not hide from insult but humbled himself even to death on a cross. As we begin the journey of Holy Week, take away our sin by Christ's glorious passion and confirm our worship and witness, so that when we proclaim the name of Jesus, every knee shall bend and every tongue proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord. Amen. (From Benedictine Daily Prayer)

On Prayer

I've been reading Joyce Chittister's book, The Rule of Benedict: Insights for the Ages. In it, she shares a story from the Sayings of the Desert Monastics that I like. I thought it worth posting here.

Once upon a time the disciples asked Abba Agathoon, "Among all good works, which is the virtue that requires the greatest effort?" Abba Agaton answered, "I think there is no labor greater than that of prayer to God. For every time we want to pray, our enemies, the demons, want to prevent us, for they know that it is only by turning us from prayer that they can hinder our journey. Whatever good work a person undertakes, if they persevere in it, they will attain rest. But prayer is warfare to the last breath."

Final Thoughts

It's Sunday, the last day of my retreat at St. Meinrad's.  It's been a really good experience.  There are a few things that strike me about St. Meinrad's.  First, the number of young monks.  Unfortunately, that's something you just don't see much of at Gethsemani at this point in time.  Yet, there's a good percentage of the monk population here in their 20's, 30's and 40's.  It certainly gives the monastery a certain energy that it wouldn't have if all the monks were elderly.

I also experienced a part of the Rule of Saint Benedict that I'd never actually seen put into practice.  On two different occasions, as the choir monks were leaving after prayer, a monk knelt before the community as they filed past him.  I realized right away that he had probably committed some kind of offense.  Benedict talks about this and I found out from Br. Terrence that this is called "doing culpa" (culpa means "fault.")   Br. Terrence told me that one of the monks had intoned a hymn too low and evidently felt as though he should do culpa because of it.  So, that was interesting.  It also intrigues me that I've never seen that practiced that way at Gethsemani.  I wonder why?

One last comment before I run off to Lauds.  This monastery understands hospitality.  The monks are very open and willing to interact with visitors.  My favorite part is the monk who is assigned to assist guests during the divine office.  He passes out the bookletts for each of the hours of prayer.  If for some reason, you need to pick up another book to sing a Psalm or hymn, he walks around holding a card with the appropriate hymn number or page number written on it.  He answers any questions you may have (like why is that monk kneeling?).  What I like best about their hospitality is the feeling they want you to participate with them.  That kind of Benedictine hospitality is a lesson we can all probably learn.

That's it for now.  I do miss all you people back home and can't wait to see you.  Pax.

Questions on Monastic Life

I come to monasteries like Saint Meinrad's and I can't help but feel drawn here.  The Spirit seems to call out to me about monastic life.  I'm sure I'm quite the mystery to many people.  They ask questions like "Why do you go to the monastery so often?"  "What do you do there?"  Some seem interested in my responses while others just think I'm strange.

Why do I come to the monastery?  That is actually a very good question to wrestle with.  As I said before, this life, this ancient way of being Christian speaks to me deeply.  Yet, I'm not going to be a Benedictine or Cistercian "monk"--at least not in the common way that's understood today.  After all, I'm happily married with a secular job, a house and a mortgage to pay.  I don't think the Cistercians are going to let me put on a habit and start living with them.  So, where does that leave me and others who ask similar questions?

It seems to me that the understanding of monastic life must broaden.  The current definitions of monastic life are too small and narrow.  The Holy Spirit is calling many like myself to this way of living.  You can certainly see it in the Cistercian tradition.  Lay Associate programs have popped up near Cistercian monasteries all over the US and all over the world.  For many years, they weren't aware of each other.  Like me, they too have this yearning for monastic life.

Like the monks at Gethsemani, I've adopted a Rule of Life for myself that helps me structure my daily life, in the spirit of Saint Benedict.  I too live in community with others:  my family, my wife, those in my work place and those in my parish.  I too value the hours of prayer and the Work of God.  Like any good monk, I'm doing my best to love others.  Each day I'm learning to love God and my neighbor.  I've entered into a way of life that is transforming and has been lived out by generations of Christians before me.

Why do I come to the monastery?  Because I've been called there and it's a calling that I can't ignore. 

Peace.

First Impressions

My first few hours at St. Meinrad's have been very different from what I'm accustomed to as a retreatant at Gethsemani.  First, let me say Benedictines eat better or at the very least, their guests do!  I just had pork chops, roasted potatoes with cheese, corn, and dessert.  The food is remarkably better and I for one, have no problem with that! 

Vespers was a bit different than I'm used to as well but was very beautiful.  The chanting here is extraordinary.  The church is arranged in a much more inclusive and open way.  I enjoyed it very much.  It doesn't look as though they pray compline together which makes me a little sad.  I guess I'll be doing that in my room this evening.

Technology seems to be everywhere here.  Each guest room has a wired internet connection and there are computer stations in the guest house and library that are available for use as well.  Currently, I'm sitting in the guest house lobby typing this post.  It's probably good that I didn't bring my laptop--that would probably be distracting to me.

Each guest room is also stocked with a few books to read including a Bible and a book on The Rule of Saint Benedict.  Kind of a nice touch, I think.

The size of this campus is much larger than I'm used to at Gethsemani.  It's beautiful though and I'll enjoy roaming around here for the next several days.  If the weather forecast holds true, I should see four or more inches of SNOW while I'm here.  Nothing could make me happier!

Okay, I guess that's all that I have for now.  I'm going to take my coffee back to my room for some quiet reading.

Pax.