The heart of the matter is: Stand with reverence before God, with the mind in the heart, and strive toward Him with longing.

(St. Theophan, Letter 47)

Monastic life is a life devoted to prayer, and a monastery is a place where not only the nuns or monks but all people – believers and seekers – can find a quiet, prayerful space to spend time with God; to become aware of God’s presence as well as of their own desires and sufferings, and place these before the Lord; room for thanksgiving, adoration and praise – either by participation in the monastery’s liturgy or by using the monastery chapel for personal prayer and silence.

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A light silent sound…

 

In silent, interior prayer, God speaks to us.
It is a heart-to-heart encounter where we come to know God
and allow God to see us and come close to us as we are.
Prayer teaches us how to listen.

 

Then the Lord said: Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord; the Lord will pass by.
There was a strong and violent wind rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the Lord — but the Lord was not in the wind;
after the wind, an earthquake — but the Lord was not in the earthquake;
after the earthquake, fire — but the Lord was not in the fire;
after the fire, a light silent sound.
When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
A voice said to him, Why are you here, Elijah?

(1 Kings 19:11 – 13)

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To gaze on the Lords beauty…

 

Contemplative prayer, our gaze resting on God, will slowly, yet unfailingly, transform us and make us like Him.
Our gaze on the world and our fellow human beings will become a contemplative gaze, seeing God’s beauty, goodness and truth revealed in all God’s creatures, in particular in our brothers and sisters, created in His image and likeness.

 

One thing I ask of the Lord; this I seek: To dwell in the Lord’s house all the days of my life,
To gaze on the Lord’s beauty, to visit his temple.

(Psalm 27 (26):4)