Saturday, June 09, 2018

Yes, pray it even there

It seems our Celtic monastic ancestors were a bit squeamish about praying in the latrine, believing them to be haunts of devils and evil spirits. The ancient Rule of the Céli Dé prescribed that the only prayer a monk might say therein was the Adjutorium. "O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me." On reading this, I asked myself what it might mean. Comparing what I know of monastic prayer around the world, it seems most reasonable to me that the Adjutorium was a constant prayer for these monks, and so even while in the jakes it was permitted; it was not reasonable to ask a monk to stop at any time.

Two kinds of Christianity

Very broadly speaking, there are two kinds of Christianity.

1. Christ died on the Cross so I don't have to. God's job is to make my existence happy.
2. Christians are baptized into Christ's death and are called upon to live Christ lives here and now, not escaping suffering but making it holy and productive.

I believe that type 1 is not valid. It is childish (not childlike) and unloving, and therefore is the antithesis of what baptism is all about.