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Monastic life is a life
under vows. These are promises we make to God for
our whole life and we can really only make them because
we are able to trust in God’s love and his faithfulness
to us. A monk makes a promise of his life by promising
three things: stability, obedience and conversatio
morum.
Stability:
This is a promise to stand firm in our discipleship
of Christ, and not to run away from the challenge
of monastic life. By this promise we undertake
to persevere in a particular community, as the
place where we hope to find our path to God. The
monastic community may move if need be, but we
always remain members of the same community. A
monk may live away from the monastery, but that
is in order to carry out some work of the community
he has been given. As in a family, our job does
not mean that we cease to be a member of our monastic
community.
Obedience:
Jesus was utterly obedient to his heavenly Father.
In the same way, we have learnt that we can do
what God wants of us by being monks. So we promise
to obey the Rule of St Benedict and the Abbot.
Jesus was obedient even to the extent of giving
his life for the salvation of all people. In the
same way we hope to live for others, and to share
with all the hope of eternal life Christ promises
us.
Conversatio Morum:
This vow has a Latin name. It basically refers to
living 'a monastic way of life'. But that means
more than just a set of things to do. It means
developing monastic instincts, monastic virtues.
As an exterior thing, it includes a commitment
to celibacy (not to marry), sharing of goods in
a simple lifestyle (poverty), prayer and all that
goes to make up the monastic routine. But monastic
life is more than a routine. As an interior thing
conversatio morum is about giving our hearts, souls
and bodies to God, growing in his service, so that
he can perfect us in his love.
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