Monastic life has a time-table called the horarium, which is a daily schedule of Liturgies, Meals, Spiritual Reading and Recreation. The schedule moves steadily along, with occasional changes for special events. Most people think that this relentless rhythm must be tedious and monotonous, My youngest brother said to me after only a few hours here, "This could get to be boring!" Well, here I am, 27 years later, and I haven't been bored yet.
For the monk, keeping the horarium is both a discipline and a great gift. Our customary says that "it frees the monk from futility," and that is indeed true.
What I especially appreciate now, as I'm slowly but steadily recovering from my back surgery, is that the horarium is there, running on its course, and the rest of the brethren are keeping it and praying at the every service "for our absent brothers, Meanwhile, as I gradually feel better, I am able to "plug myself into" the schedule, bit by bit. There is no pressure to do so; what really matters is that I want to do so. (Even though at healthier times I find my little ways to avoid parts of it--alas, we're all human.) But on the whole, it is, indeed, a gift to be savored and treasured. And I look forward to the time when I'll be completely "on line," as it were, albeit looking for ways to get around it all.
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