In the Refectory continues our second year of spiritual practice in Beloved Life. Working with ideas from Ian’s book Cave Refectory Road: monastic rhythms for contemporary living we are exploring how ancient practices from the Jesus tradition might be a gift in our own times and in our own places, helping to bring about the kind of better world that Jesus described as the ‘kingdom of heaven’ coming near.
We’re suggesting the refectory – the dining hall or canteen of the monastic settlement – as a symbol of the way of life that an individual or a community seeking to be in the way of the hospitable Jesus might follow. This is the community deciding to offer itself as a source of stability, presence and hospitality to its wider communities. This is the individual seeing their own resources as being a table set for more than one…
The monastic tradition almost always sees itself as being expressed in a flow between prayerful engagement with God and activity on behalf of the world – and specifically on behalf of the most needy. This motion invariably begins simply as presence, being alongside and with those who suffer, sharing their situation, and then working to bring relief…
©Ian Adams ‘Cave Refectory Road: monastic rhythms for contemporary living’ (Canterbury Press and Liturgical Press USA)
Look out for short daily posts around this latest theme on Facebook and Twitter. We’ll be doing the practices wherever we are, and we’ll look forward to hearing how you get on – do let us know!
Ian’s new collection of poems Unfurling is out now in paperback and e-format on Canterbury Press, also via your local bookshop, and all usual online sources including Book Depository with free delivery world-wide.