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The human person is on a pilgrimage of the heart. The human
heart is a desire seeking fulfillment; an emptiness that longs to be filled full; a
journey that moves toward rest. O Lord, you’ve made us for yourself, and our poor
heart is without rest, restless till it rest in you! (St Augustine, Confessions I:1).
The human person is created in the image of God. The biblical locus for this image,
and the source of this unlimited thirst for its Creator-Source, is the human heart. Deep
is calling on deep, in the roar of waters (Ps.42:8). The depths of God call out to our
depths. The Mystery calls out to the mystery of each person. The Presence first
seeks us. Love first loves us. This love is an absolutely free gift. We cannot earn
it; we cannot buy it. Love only asks for love in response. Monks are not unlike other people whose hungering hearts are in search of that Mystery who alone draws them beyond a life that is merely useful, to one that is full of meaning. Neither are monks unlike other Christians who have known the Gospel glance of love which Jesus gave to the man seeking the way to eternal life. Monks are those for whom this desire expresses itself in the language of constant prayer. The monk is the one who has heard the inner call of Christ. "Seeking his workman in the multitude, the Lord cries out...`Is there anyone here who longs for life and desires to see good days?’" (Rule Prologue,14). The voice of Christ rouses the person from an unexamined malaise to the possibility of a deeper awareness of human destiny. By answering "Yes!" one chooses to follow Christ under a rule and an abbot (the elected spiritual father of the community) in a stable community. The monastic life, as envisioned in the Rule, is nourished by a threefold stream: lectio divina (the prayerful reading of Scripture), opus Dei (the communal chanting of the psalms), and work. |
| Basic Requirements — Conviction of being called by Jesus to follow Him in the monastic way. — Physical, psychological, and spiritual stamina to enter into this way of life with body, mind, and spirit. — At least have completed high school. Some years of work experience. — Must be a practicing Catholic, preferably with some previous commitment to church involvement. — No obligations toward a wife, children, or parents. No financial debts. |
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Things to Consider — Are you willing to enter into a very different way of life which will demand that you change your present way of doing things? — Can you take directions, corrections, criticisms, and directives from others in authority, such as an abbot, novice director, or the person in charge of your work? — Can you work at whatever task is assigned and find satisfaction in it? — Do you value human relationships and are you willing to cultivate them? — Can you respond positively to the inevitable confrontations and conflicts that are part of all human relationships, and which call us to personal conversion? — Can you spend time in solitude so that it is creative and conducive to growth? — Are you drawn to a life of prayer? Are you inclined to more than just saying prayers or devoting moments of the day to prayer? Are you interested in a whole life of continual prayer that permeates every dimension of life? The First Step — Contact the Vocation Director for further information. — If your interest continues, we would invite you to come and visit Mepkin to get a taste of our life. — If you make a commitment to pursue the monastic life, a few of the monks will assist you in discerning if you are called to life at Mepkin. This process takes about a year. — If the discernment is positive, you may be invited to join the community as a postulant. To contact the Vocation Director, Fr Kevin: e-mail: kevin@mepkinabbey.org |
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