Yourself

 I am not in a monastery to become a monk and drop my old identity.  Rather I am here to be me, to be or become who God made me to be.  In the world out there I might be who you want me to be, or who I am expected to be by someone I see as authority or power in my life.  Or I try to be a fantasy me based upon some public or entertainment person.  Usually, that would be hair style, clothes, manner and things I buy. In the monastery I am free to find the me whoGod made me to be.  And what might that be?  Well, it is a Christian monastery, so I am meant be be Christ, but not a holy card Christ, or kitch image of pious Christianity.  I am meant to be Christ as me.  I don’t try to be like someone, but rather to be like me and if I can do that Christ will be revealed.  It is a lot of letting go around here and that can be tough, but then such is becoming oneself.  As Dan Berrigan said, “If you are going to be a Christian you had better be good on wood.”