Flowers in a church.
Simple and plain.
I was praying all alone in the church last night and noted the sanctuary decorated for Pentecost. The garden club of the parish purchased several planters of red geraniums for outside the church, and so these were used in the sanctuary until they get planted on Tuesday. I was impressed with how they were arranged and filled the sanctuary, as well as by the resourcefulness of the pastor in getting a double use out of the plants.
In the Trappist monastery I lived at, flowers were never used to decorate the altar, it just wasn’t Trappist. In the novitiate one of the brothers had a “flair” for floral arrangement. One day while we were cleaning the church, he took it upon himself to decorate the sanctuary. It was really pretty and rather lavish; ivy swags with assorted flowers, brother’s arms waving in the air - much like a maestro conducting an orchestra with great flourish - I thought it was spectacular.
When the Father Master came in and saw all of the flowers, he demanded everything be thrown out, and later explained to the novices the tradition of everything plain in Trappist monasteries. Poor brother was disconsolate. I placed my hand ever so lightly on his shoulder to console him saying, “Brother, it was beautiful, fit for a cathed…”
Brother abruptly shrugged off my hand, turned to me indignantly, and scolding me through clenched teeth said, “Don’t touch me ever again!” And he stormed off. I immediately thought of the novitiate in the Nun’s Story, when the Mistress instructed the postulants that they should never touch one another. Brother taught me that lesson with even greater drama than the movie - in fact, he was rather Joan Crawford about it. (Yes, a couple of the other brothers and I laughed pretty hard after he walked away.)
So. One of the greatest penances in monastic life are the brothers - and they are better than hair shirts to show you what you are. (When we are young, we can’t imagine anyone not liking us, but that changes as we get older.)
May 10th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Kerpow! (read: smack upside the knucklehead)…That really hits home. I heard Father Corapi doing a talk on Relevent Radio and he pointed out to the audience (it was a lecture/retreat) that their hair shirt might be sitting right next to them. A lot of people chuckled as it sounds really funny but I got to thinking about my own family life and the walking hairshirts around me, and how I am a hairshirt to others. There are times (hmmm this whole past week perhaps)where it seems like it would be easier to get a real-life hairshirt, pull it on during a sticky humid August (thinking the anoyance of tacky wet skin makes things itchier)than it is to deal with people, especially those that you are supposed to love unconditionally. Thanks Terry, you have blessed me today by your words.
- Jennifer, AKA “I don’t need a hairshirt because I have kids”
May 10th, 2008 at 10:44 am
But ‘cha are in that hairshirt Blanche, ya are, and ya ain’t gettin’ outta it neithah!
May 10th, 2008 at 10:48 am
LOL! I hope you are Hank Azaria.
May 10th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
When I was in formation we had a saying: “There’s no need to add any penance to your life. The brethren will do it for you.” It was always said after a particularly exasperating encounter and usually in jest for the most part. Once I was out of formation and in smaller communities the truth of this really hit home. Of course I could never be a hairshirt to anyone…or so my ego told me. I now know that is not true. I’m sure there are many who would rather return to the discipline than have to put up with me. Thanks for reminding me Terry that I need to work on making that number fewer.
May 10th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
There are some folks at church that are my hairshirt. Three of their kids are going on retreat with us next weekend.
I asked Father what I did to deserve these people in my life. His answer?? “I’m not sure. Should we get out paper and pencil and make a list??”
Well now - that will put you in your place in a hurry………
May 10th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
That’s typically the most challenging aspect of any vocation, don’t you think? I spoke to someone who went to Mepkin Abbey some time ago that one on the postulants there - a young man - said that living in a community and getting along with people you might otherwise not chosen as your friends was the most difficult aspect of a monastic vocation.
May 11th, 2008 at 10:16 am
You made an excellent point! I do live in a community of men in formation and it is part of the adjustment many of them go through as they learn to deal with the human foibles of others. It is a cross (or hairshirt) but also a great blessing! Keep up the great work on the blog! God bless! Padre Steve, SDB