Today was a good day. This is the second time I've been to mass at the monastery. Both times I have been impressed by this insanely happy, welcoming, surprisingly liberal group of women.
Their chapel is like a walkout basement with lots of windows. There are beige chairs with kneelers and white carpets. I would guess there were 100 people there and maybe seating for 120. The crowd was generally older. There were a few young adults and a few children with their parents.
They use Breaking Bread and singing is practically mandated at the monastery. We sang no fewer than three verses of every hymn. And we practiced the new responses for a good fifteen minutes this morning. The church goers of the monastery are not embracing the New Roman Missal. In fact, there was actual groaning when practicing said new responses. And when the equally liberal priest discussed his concern with replacing cup with chalice, he received cheers.
Today's homily was about the willing acceptance of God's call with a focus on more listening and less talking. As Samuel is sleeping when called, today's priest noted this as the biblical foundation for nap taking. And with everyone decked out in Ravens purple, he reminded us purple is the color of repentence.
Mass at the monastery is a lot like a youth mass at the retreat house with endless prayers of the faithful and a lengthy sign of peace. It clocked in at an hour and 20 minutes, but after our song practice, things moved pretty fast.
The Carmelites were part of the Duke prayer study:
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2005-07-31/news/0507310033_1_prayer-healing-carmelites
And I am admitely tempted to join their young adult prayer group before I am too old. Do you think I could talk them into a book club?
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