On Contemplation and the Wisdom of the Abbas and Immas
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ON COMTEMPLATION AND THE WISDOM OF THE ABAS AND IMMAS
By Jerome Belanger, ARC Community member

Joan Chittisters’ book, Illuminated Life, published by Orbis Books in 2000, has become for me a fountain of wisdom, one that I return to on a daily basis. The format is simple--a short story by a desert Abba/Imma (father/mother) with a moral that is applicable to our spiritual well being. Illuminated Life is a summons. It invites us to quit looking for spiritual techniques and psychological quick-fixes to give substance to our lives.

The book shows us a spiritual direction that has been lived out through the centuries. The Abbas/Immas lived alone in the wilderness of the Egyptian desert in the fourth century where they struggled with the elements of life, plumbed its basics and tested its truths, leaving us a wisdom that serves us well to this very day.

The subtitle of the book is “An Alphabet of Monastic Values from Abandonment to Zeal.” Reading it allows us to experience peace and love in the midst of life’s pressures and problems. For example, let’s see what Chittister has to say for the letter L.-- The “L” is for Lectio--The Art of Holy Reading. She tells a short story, as follows:

One day some disciples came to see Abba Anthony. In the midst of them was Imma Sophia. Wanting to test them, the old man suggested a text from the scriptures and, beginning with the youngest, he asked them what it meant. Each one gave his or her own opinion as best they were able. But to each one of them the old man said, “You have not understood it.” Last of all he said to Imma Sophia, “How would you explain this saying?” Imma Sophia replied, “I don’t know.” Then Abba Anthony said, “Indeed, Imma Sophia has found the way, for she has said “I do not know.”

Chittister elaborates: Contemplation is not a private devotion; it is a way of life. It changes the way we think. It shapes the way we live. It challenges the way we talk and where we go and what we do. We do not “contemplate” or “not contemplate.” We live the contemplative life. At the same time, there is one tool of the contemplative life, which, in a special way, stirs the mind to new depths. It stretches the soul to new lengths. It expands the vision beyond all others. In the Rule of Benedict more time is allotted to this practice, for instance, than to any other activity except formal prayer. Thoughtful, reflective reading-- lectio-immersion in the lessons of scripture and what the Rule of Benedict calls “other holy books,” provides the background against which the entire rest of life is lived. It is in lectio that the mind comes to know itself.

Lectio is the practice of reading small passages daily-- a page, a paragraph, a sentence-- and then milking for meaning any word or phrase or situation that interests or provokes me there. Suddenly, perhaps, or painfully slowly, I begin to see into myself. The gulf opens up between what I am and what I must be if divine life is ever to come to fullness in me. There is no more concealing it from myself, no more ignoring it. There is nowhere to go but into the heart of God with arms up and hands open. Then we open ourselves to the work of divinity in us, to the One who binds all brokenness together, to the life that simmers in our deadest, driest parts. (pp. 74-77)

There was a time in my life not so long ago where my perceived sense of sin was so overwhelming I was in the depths of despair and darkness with no hope ever of returning into light. Each day I would turn to the scriptures struggling with the practice of lectio, which I had learned as a young monk. When, all of a sudden, after many readings of the parable of the Prodigal Son, I was delivered out of the darkness into the light, hope was restored and I was able to continue my journey into wholeness. Because of the short phrase, “While still a long way off...” I came to see that God anticipated my needs and set out to meet me in a loving and non-judgmental way, offering me healing and wholeness. I knew that I would be well received.

Chittister concludes the section on lectio by telling us, “to be a contemplative it is necessary to take time every day to fill myself with ideas that in the end lead my heart to the heart of the divine. Then someday, somehow, the two hearts will beat in me as one.”

The book has a recurring theme of community and contemplation. Chittister tells us that “to claim full human development, total spiritual maturity, outside the realm of the human community is to claim the impossible.” She goes on to say, “Contemplation is the crown of the spirit, the gateway of the heart through which all good comes and which all things are welcomed as gifts from God. Contemplation exists across time, across traditions, beyond cultures, outside of creeds. Awareness of the presence of God in the stuff of the daily, the everywhere, the always, the everyone, undergirds every major spiritual path.” (p.141)

The everyone . . . As a young man, right out of high school, I entered a monastic community which followed the Rule of St. Benedict as does Joan Chittister. She is a member of a Benedictine community in Erie, Pennsylvania. Thomas Merton was the draw for me. Benedict’s Rule has always held for me a very strong attraction, one that has remained with me all my life, which is a part of my reason for being a member of the ARC community. Benedict’s Rule is a guide for our spiritual journey. A part of the Rule is hospitality which permits me to receive the everyone as Christ, although at times I fail at this.

When I came to ARC I was in formation to become a Benedictine Oblate of the Monastery of the Holy Cross in Chicago. I arrived here in August 1999 and I was received as an Oblate in the following November. A Benedictine Oblate is a lay person who strives to live the rule of St. Benedict in his/her everyday life and who lives external to a particular monastery. ARC, though maybe not intentionally, has captured for me the spirit of Benedicts’ Rule which is hospitality and welcoming-- an oasis in the desert.

The always . . . This is a process-- it is a life- time journey with many beginnings. Whether it’s in the office, the kitchen, the nursery, or the halls of justice, whatever our calling, whatever the problems we encounter in life, we always need to keep before us this quest toward wholeness and union with the divine.
The everywhere . . . The journey has brought me to ARC, an oasis in the desert, where with the Abbas and Immas of this community, we voice to each other the wisdom of our lives and that of the desert monastics as we walk this journey together.

The daily . . . Daily as we welcome visitors to this oasis, they come with their gifts and we with ours, and in nurturing we are nurtured. And, like the desert Fathers and Mothers, we share our wisdom and continue the journey.
-- Jerome Belanger, Obl.SB

Words of Wisdom from the ARC Community Immas and Abbas

After reading Illuminated Life, Jerry suggested that community members try their hands at writing brief reflections on our lived experiences of the spiritual journey. The following are excerpts from these efforts.-- (You might want to try it, too!)

One day Abba Mark was asked by a seeker of wisdom, “What is love?” Abba Mark offered, “ I have come to know that love is touching souls, and love is touching flesh; however, both together . . . touch the enfolding love of God.”
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While he was being held hostage in Lebanon in the mid-1980’s, Terry Waite reached the following conclusion about what he wanted to do with his remaining days upon his release.
I want to empower the weak to become strong.
I want to encourage the strong to become just.
I want to enable the just to become merciful.
His words are broad enough to apply to almost anyone in any circumstance, yet concrete enough to impel specific action. The power they infuse into my life is for me the eternal presence of Christ, who takes on mortal form again in me and my time with every action that is congruent with their meaning and purpose.
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“Spirituality is the shape each person gives to the search for intimacy with God in his or her life,” writes Howard Rice in his book, The Pastor as Spiritual Guide. I like this definition because it is specific enough to be centered in a relationship with God, but it is also broad enough to encompass a variety of experiences, practices and understandings. It allows the search to be dynamic-- changing, growing, varied and alive. I’ve come a long way from the pat answers in the Baltimore Catechism. Education, life, and exposure to others’ ideas and experiences have caused me to question, test, expand, adopt, adapt, and throw out many different parts. This reflects my concept of spirituality and people’s journey through life.
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I question and doubt. I cannot find much meaning in the images of God from the Christian tradition. Do I need/want a personal God? Sometimes I feel ‘a-spiritual.’ Then I go into the woods. I see the beauty of the snow on the pines, the sun on the snow. I remember that the atheist‘s lament is not having anyone to thank. I am very thankful.
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My spiritual journey has been to admit my poverty in the face of all the middle-class American ways I have of covering it over, of denying it. Yet, when I do confront my inner poverty, I find I also encounter the one who promised, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” My spiritual journey continues to be a struggle to accept this blessed poverty.
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One of the brothers, while visiting Imma Naomi asked, “Why is it, Mother, that after much time here in the desert, I am not making any progress in my spiritual journey?” Mother Naomi thought for a moment and replied, “As the sun rises each morning and sets each evening, as night follows day, even as spring gives way to summer and summer to fall and fall to winter, then returns spring; also with light and darkness. So goes your spiritaul journey. It has its times and seasons, which are not measurable.”


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COMMUNITY NEWS

This winter Jason Tabour, from Chicago, joined us in community for about six weeks. In addition to his skill in keeping the wood room full, we appreciated his spirit of adventure and general enthusiasm.

Emily Hughes, from Minneapolis, has been with us for the month of April. On her very first day here, she was able to fulfill her long-lived desire to bake bread for a very receptive group of guests from St. Joan of Arc Church. Her hit recipe for Pane di Mais (Polenta Bread) from The Village Baker by Joe Ortez follows:

Recipe - Pane di Mais (makes one 1-pound loaf)

The Starter The Dough
1 teaspoon active dry yeast 1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup warm water 1 cup organic, unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon honey (or all-purpose flour)
1 cup cornmeal porridge (recipe follows*) 1 egg for glazing
1 cup organic, unbleached white flour 2 tablespoons sesame seeds for topping
(or all-purpose flour)
To make the starter, proof the yeast in the warm water until it is creamy. Add the honey to the mixture and stir until it is dissolved. After the cornmeal porridge has cooled for at least 10 minutes, combine it with the yeast mixture and the flour.
The mixture will be a very wet batter, but not completely liquid. Let the starter rise in a bowl, covered with a cloth, for between 2 and 4 hours. It will double in size.
To make the dough, sprinkle the salt onto the starter and mix it in. Slowly incorporate the flour into the starter. The dough will be very moist but still firm enough to be kneaded. Knead it for between 5 and 8 minutes until it is satiny. Cover the dough and let it rise for 1 hour.
Divide the dough in half. Flatten both pieces and roll each up into a tight log. Braid the 2 pieces together and place the loaf on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Mix the egg with a little water, glaze the top of the loaf, and sprinkle sesame seeds over the glaze.
Let the loaf rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
Bake the loaf in a preheated 400 degree F oven for between 30 and 35 minutes.

*Polenta Cornmeal Porridge
Makes 3 to 4 Cups
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup polenta or coarse cornmeal

In a medium saucepan, sauté the rosemary in the olive oil for a minute or two. Add the water and salt and bring the mixture to a boil. Slowly add the polenta in a stream, all the while stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook the polenta over medium heat for 35 minutes, stirring it continuously.

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ARC HOSTS MUSIC RETREATS

Summer has tended to be a quiet time at ARC with most of our groups here from September to May. Not so this year! This summer we are happy to be hosting a series of seven, five-day retreats called “Coming Home” with musician Jeanne Cotter. There are retreats for singers, pianists, organists and keyboardists, and composers -- from the novice to the professional. And there is one general retreat for people interested in reawakening and nurturing their creative and spiritual selves.

Through the art of songwriting, singing, storytelling, and piano performance, Jeanne Cotter has won the hearts and souls of listeners. She leads many workshops, retreats and seminars, has written and recorded numerous liturgical music collections, and has her own company, Mythic Rain. There are still openings for some of the retreats. If you’re interested in more information, you may visit the website: www.mythicrain.com or call 651/698-7362.


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SUMMER VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Because of this wonderful opportunity for us to host the Coming Home retreats, we could use some extra volunteer help in June, July, and August. If you could spare a day or two (or longer) to help in the kitchen, garden, or with housekeeping, we would be happy to have you! Please call Jerry, ARC’s Volunteer Coordinator, at 763/689-3540.

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ARC SEEKS COMMUNITY MEMBERS

ARC is currently seeking an individual or couple to join the resident community in our ministry of hospitality. Tasks include cooking, housekeeping, office work, indoor and outdoor maintenance, and gardening. ARC provides room, board, a monthly stipend, and health insurance.

Contact ARC by phone, mail, or e-mail for more information.


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ARC WISH LIST

jumper cables
cat and dog food, bird seed
colored copier paper
inkjet print cartridges
(HP 51645A or HP C1823 G)
lamps, end tables
couches, chairs
frequent flier miles
flashlights
non-stick muffin pans
and cookie sheets
brooms, sponge mops
firewood

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MEMORIAL GIFTS

Please consider ARC when giving gifts in honor or in memory of loved ones. We are grateful for all whose spirits bless this place and make it sacred.


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UPCOMING ARC RETREATS

Exploring Your Path: Journaling for Spiritual Insight 7 pm Fri-7 pm Sat, May 11-12
Journals can be vehicles for discernment and self-discovery. Learn keys to effective journaling and how to use a journal to reflect more deeply upon your own spiritual journey. Drawing upon creative skills you may not know you have will help participants look at their spiritual lives and beliefs in new ways.
Led by Leonard Lang, journaling teacher, editor, and poet Cost: $100

Partnership: The Art of Faithfulness 7 pm Fri-Sun aft, May 18-20
This retreat for couples will explore what it means to be faithful to one another, to oneself, and to God. There will be time with each other, time with the gathered community, and time alone.
Led by Ruth & Loren Halvorson, ARC founders Cost: $145


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ARC ANNOUNCES TWO PILGRIMAGES
August 4-11, 2001 -- Pilgrimage to the Mountain
led by Dwayne Daehler, ARC co-director

Travel by van to Cloud Peak Wilderness Area in Wyoming (southwest of Sheridan). Participants will set up camp in a national forest campground. Each day will include worship, one session for discussing mountains in Christian spirituality, time for personal reflection and group sharing, and hiking in the mountains. Cost of the pilgrimage is $550/person based on a minimum of six participants. This includes travel, food and camping costs.

October 3-17, 2001 -- Pilgrimage to Grandchamp Convent, Switzerland
led by Ruth and Loren Halvorson, ARC founders

This pilgrimage will include visits to Geneva--home of the World Council of Churches, Grandchamp Convent--where Ruth was inspired to begin ARC Retreat Center, Sonnenhof Retreat Center near Basel, Wengen--a picturesque Swiss village closed to cars and buses, Jungraujoch Mountain in the Swiss Alps, and Zurich. Cost is $2399 and includes airfare from the Twin Cities, other transportation, 13 nights accommodation and most meals.
Write, call, or e-mail ARC for full information about both pilgrimages.

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WWW.ARCRETREAT.ORG
That’s our website address. Now you can read our newsletter on-line, find out about up-coming retreats, get information about volunteering and the community, and see photos of ARC. We’re still working out a few kinks related to updating, but we’re happy to finally have a web presence. Check it out and tell your friends and colleagues!

Also, we could use some help maintaining our web-page...up-dating retreats, etc. If you have the know-how and could volunteer your services, please call Dwayne at 763/689-3540. Thank you.

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PRIVATE RETREATS

Individuals are always welcome at ARC for a time of personal retreat. This can be for any length of stay as space is available. Rooms are private. Guests may enjoy resting, reading, meditating in the chapel, walking in the woods, and rocking in the bench swings overlooking the creek.

The hermitage, a single-person dwelling in the woods, lends itself to a more solitary retreat. Also called Poustinia, which means ‘desert space,’ the hermitage is a bright, lofty room with a kitchenette and screened-in porch. The setting is ideal for those desiring more solitude.

The cottage is our newest space, a cozy but luxurious cabin available to individuals, couples, or small groups. It has a full kitchen, bedroom, bath, loft, and a living room with a gas fireplace and an A-frame window wall.

Call to make arrangements.

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CONTACTING ARC
To arrange a group or private retreat, call (763) 689-3540.
(not long distance from the Twin Cities)
Office hours: 9 am to 5 pm
e-mail: arcretreat@hotmail.com
Web-site: www.arcretreat.org

COSTS
24-Hr Retreat (Sun-Thurs)...........................................$65
24-Hr Retreat (Fri/Sat).................................................$70
Weekend Retreat (Fri eve-Sun aft).............................$135
Day Retreat (9-4)................$20 Weekdays, $25 Weekends
ARC-Led Weekend....................................................$145
Hermitage (24 hrs)..............$65 Weekdays, $70 Weekends
Cottage..........................................................Call for rates

Rates are slightly higher for profit-making organizations.

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RESPONSE FORM
Mail to: ARC Retreat Community, 1680-373rd Ave. NE, Stanchfield, MN 55080
Phone: 763-689-3540

Name's): _____________________________________________ Phone: (____) _____________

Street Address: _________________________________________________________________

City: ___________________________________ State: __________ Zip: ___________________

Special Needs (diet, accessibility, etc.): _______________________________________________

PLEASE CHECK APPROPRIATE ITEMS:
___ I am registering for the following retreat's):
______________________________________ __________________ ___________________
Retreat Title Retreat Date Deposit Enclosed
($35 per person per night, nonrefundable)
___ I am contributing to the ARC retreat ministry with a gift of $______.
___ I am contributing to the scholarship fund with a gift of $______ . (All gifts are tax deductible.)
___ I am moving. My new address is above.
___ I would like to volunteer on a weekend ___ or weekday ____. Please call me.

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