There is nothing more important throughout time and space than God’s love and grace. It gives us life and breath. While a monastic life revolves around a way of life, it grows out of this field of His love and grace. If we fail to root, remember, and live our lives out of this field, then we take the whole work on ourselves. God invites us to this life together. An invitation extended to us through God’s love and grace.

From the earliest days of monasticism, their communities became known for their hospitality. Many monasteries had hotels, while others had space to care for the sick and elderly. Today, the practice of hospitality plays a large role in monastic communities everywhere. What might it look like for us to cultivate hospitality in ourselves, and where might we discover opportunities to practice hospitality?

There are daily, weekly, monthly, and annual rhythms to a monastic life. These rhythms do more than support and sustain a monastic way of life. They help us live through and embody meaningful theological realities. They help us to reflect upon and experience the life of Christ and invite us to a fuller experience of what it means to be alive and a child of God.

In a world driven by consumption, it is our contentment and gratitude that are counter-cultural. With the beginning of Advent, let us slow down together for a moment. Let us reflect on how our world makes us discontent. Might we, in this season of anticipation, choose to meet that discontentment not with things but with the one born in a manger for all the world.

There are no shortcuts to the transforming and sanctifying work of God in our lives. To make matters more confusing, there are many ideas of Christian maturity. Let us elevate the person and character of Jesus as our hope. Becoming more like Jesus through attending to the Holy Spirit within us. The fruit of the Spirit describes the person of Jesus and the nature of God. Let us hopefully expect God’s work in us. Work that leads to us naturally embodying the fruit of the Spirit from the inside out.

Prayer draws us into an awareness of Gods presence. A way of being close to His tenderness and love. Let our love of God inspire us to live a life dedicated to prayer. Where prayer allows thoughts, emotions, and words to move to both directions.

Throughout the history of monasticism, our ancestors have not fought. They rejected violence, even when it meant their own death. The monastic tradition we are a part of is unwavering in its rejection of violence. We are to be people of peace. People who stand against the killing of anyone.

Every Sunday brings us back to the cross and the resurrection of our Christ. A weekly day for remembrance, and set aside as holy. A holy day we give to prayer, praise, and being present with our God who conquered death.

The quiet of a monastic life is hard within the city. We must seek silence, and make a home within it for ourselves. Discover and create prayerful spaces of silence to be present with God, and ourselves.

The fullness of our spirit, mind, and body make up our presence. These three are interwoven and inseparable from who we are as people. Jesus cared for His whole self, and we should follow His example.

Our walk with Jesus is formed by the things we do and the places we go. Into every thing we do we bring our full selves. We spend a large amount of our lives on our second vocation, work. Take care that your work is in harmony with our way of life.