Monastery Of San Juan Diego

FOR THE MONK THE FIRST WORK IS THAT OF PRAYER TO PRAY THE SACRED LITURGY AS FULLY AND AS EFFICACIOUSLY AS HE IS ABLE, DAY IN DAY OUT, FOR THE SALVATION OF HIS OWN SOUL AND FOR THE GOOD OF THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD, FROM EARLY MORNING UNTIL NIGHT. THAT MAY SOUND DAUNTING, BUT IN FACT IT IS THE MOST NATURAL AND LIFE-GIVING THING IN THE WORLD FOR ONE WITH A MONASTIC VOCATION. RISING AT AN EARLY HOUR TO WORSHIP GOD IS NATURAL FOR A MONK. WE ENGAGE IN LECTIO DIVINA THAT DIVINE READING IN WHICH WE LISTEN TO, DIGEST AND CONTEMPLATE THE VOICE OF GOD IN THE WORDS OF HIS INSPIRED AND PRIVILEGED FRIENDS SUSTAINS US. AND IN THIS SPACE AND SILENCE AS THE NIGHT ENDS AND THE DAWN BREAKS, AS THE WORLD BUSIES ITSELF FOR ANOTHER DAY, WE ARE ABLE TO PRAY FOR ALL THOSE WHO SEEK OUR PRAYERS, WHOSE VOCATIONS ARE ELSEWHERE, WHO NEED OUR INTERCESSION TO SUSTAIN THEIR GOOD AND RIGHTFUL ACTIVITIES IN THE WORLD. THIS IS A MOST BEAUTIFUL ELEMENT AND APOSTOLATE OF MONASTIC LIFE. THE BRETHREN WORK AT THEIR STUDIES AT WHATEVER LEVEL, USUALLY IN THE MORNINGS. WE ENCOURAGE HIGHER STUDIES WHERE APPROPRIATE OF COURSE, BUT ONES FIRST TASK WHEN ENTERING A MONASTERY IS TO BECOME A MONKONCE THAT IS THE CASE ALL THAT WE DO, FROM DOCTORATES TO DISHES, MUST BE IN HARMONY WITH THE NEW MAN, CLOTHED IN THE HABIT OF SAINT BENEDICT. WORK AWAY FROM THE MONASTERY CAN ONLY BE JUSTIFIED IN THAT CONTEXT FOR DULY PROPORTIONATE REASONS. EACH NEW MEMBER OF OUR MONASTIC FAMILY BRINGS WITH HIM GIFTS AND TALENTS AND OPENS HIMSELF TO THE OPPORTUNITY OF DEVELOPING MORE AS A MONK WHICH AUGMENT WHAT, AS A MONASTERY, WE CAN DO FOR THE GLORY OF ALMIGHTY GOD. SO LONG AS THAT ACTIVITY DOES NOT ECLIPSE, BUT ARISES FROM, WHAT WE ARE CALLED TO BE MONKS SEEKING EVER TO BE MORE FAITHFUL TO THE RULE OF ST BENEDICT IN OUR DAY WE CAN DO VERY MUCH INDEED.