Seminary has Relocated to the Desert
Like many of you, I would guess, early March was filled with ominous signs of the spreading virus, but for the most part, business continued as usual. It was the same here...that is, until Saturday afternoon, March 14th, just before we were to head to church for evening Vespers.
For the next few days, it was suggested that we avoid going to church, but I think it was Tuesday that the church was closed to everybody but the resident monastics. Though difficult for us on the outside to be cut off from church, I am relieved that the monks are there, continuing daily services, especially here at St. Tikhon's Monastery, which has held daily Liturgy since it's founding 115 years ago. It is not so much the tradition that needs to be kept, and it is more that every Liturgy brings another dose of grace to this place and the people here.
The use of online meeting platforms has enabled seminary classes to continue, but there is so much more to seminary than classes. How are seminarians to soak in the knowledge, experience, and wisdom of their professors in those precious and relaxed minutes between classes? And those ten-minute breaks, nicely timed around the opening of the bookstore across the street (and access to the freshly brewed coffee therein) are a source of camaraderie, a chance to process the material with classmates, and attempts at answering some of the harder questions of life. How can we replace that with online meetings?
And the class times are only the beginning of the challenges. Our dean was talking to the head of another seminary down in New York, and they, like us, were commenting on how seminary is so much more than just classes. Seminary is experiential: walking through the movements of the services with priests and deacons, singing in the choir multiple times a week, access to daily services, and life alongside a treasure of people: the monastics, the clergy, lay people, and fellow seminarians.
Despite all those struggles, there is a real bright spot in this time of quarantine: it is a wonderful opportunity for prayer. It is so fitting that this quarantine is given to us during Great Lent. Did you know that "quarantine" means '40 days'? Just like the 40 days of Lent! Fittingly, just as some monasteries had the practice of the monks leaving the monastery and wandering out into the desert to focus solely on prayer during the time of the 40-day fast, so we have been handed a lenten quarantine. It may be hard, but beneficial.
And as for "going to church", we have tried to replace the times we would have gone to church for a Sunday service or a special feast, with something extra at home. There are a lot of services that are more-or-less made for use at home or for more isolated situations that I have never used much. Now, though, those services are certainly getting some use, and we have enjoyed beautiful and intimate services here at home with the family.
We love you all. Your are in our prayers each day. Keep praying. Commune with Christ. The Kingdom of God is within you. The Kingdom of God is within us. The Kingdom of God is within us all.
For the next few days, it was suggested that we avoid going to church, but I think it was Tuesday that the church was closed to everybody but the resident monastics. Though difficult for us on the outside to be cut off from church, I am relieved that the monks are there, continuing daily services, especially here at St. Tikhon's Monastery, which has held daily Liturgy since it's founding 115 years ago. It is not so much the tradition that needs to be kept, and it is more that every Liturgy brings another dose of grace to this place and the people here.
And the class times are only the beginning of the challenges. Our dean was talking to the head of another seminary down in New York, and they, like us, were commenting on how seminary is so much more than just classes. Seminary is experiential: walking through the movements of the services with priests and deacons, singing in the choir multiple times a week, access to daily services, and life alongside a treasure of people: the monastics, the clergy, lay people, and fellow seminarians.
And as for "going to church", we have tried to replace the times we would have gone to church for a Sunday service or a special feast, with something extra at home. There are a lot of services that are more-or-less made for use at home or for more isolated situations that I have never used much. Now, though, those services are certainly getting some use, and we have enjoyed beautiful and intimate services here at home with the family.
We love you all. Your are in our prayers each day. Keep praying. Commune with Christ. The Kingdom of God is within you. The Kingdom of God is within us. The Kingdom of God is within us all.
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