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Monday, August 11, 2025

Active Contemplatives

 Esther de Waal's book, Seeking God is a description of the life of Benedictine monks.  She ties the monastic life to our everyday life.  Through this book, anyone can apply the attitudes of a monk.  It will help people get through their secular life.

Personally, I'm not at all surprised.  After all, as a Lay Dominican, I live, or try to live, as an Active Contemplative.  All Dominicans (members of the Order of Preachers) do the same, depending on whether they're friars, nuns, sisters, or lay persons.  St. Dominic organized his religious order around the prayer life of monastics.  But we go out and work.  We balance if we can or just do the best that you can.

If we can do it, so can Esther de Waal's readers.  She describes monastic life as ordered, prayerful, and fulfilling.  So, it is.  



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