| Part 2 Almost a month passed before
Brother Anthony returned. I was anxious to see him
again... to show him my healthy, strong, perfect
hand and to thank him for the healing he had given
me. I had no intention of going with him and
becoming one of the monks... I loved my life as a
shepherd and dreamed of continuing living as I
always had... and with two good arms, I had even
begun to dream of marrying and having a family.
The day before he returned, fate
stepped in. One of my sheep... a young ewe grazing
in a far corner of the meadow slipped and caught her
leg between two sharp rocks. When I got to her she
was bleeding profusely from a long jagged cut. I
approached her slowly since she was already panicky
from the pain. While I talked gently she calmed and
waited for whatever help I could offer. I held my
balance with one hand and reached toward her with my
newly healed hand... As I did, it began to warm and
to feel prickly with energy, and then it began to
glow... For a moment I hesitated and then I
continued to reach toward the lamb's damaged leg.
The sweet animal simply watched, completely calm and
seemingly trusting. I placed my glowing hand on her
leg where the blood still flowed and watched in
amazement as the bleeding stopped and the cut
healed. When I finally lifted her from the rocks and
carried her back to the grazing flock, she joined
them as if nothing had happened... fully healed and
well.
Finally Brother Anthony arrived
and by then, all I wanted was to join the monks,
understand the miracles which I had witnessed and
learn to heal. Arrangements were made with another
shepherd to take over my flock and within a few
hours, I entered the monastery for the first time.
My first introduction to the
brothers was immediate. Brother Anthony took me to a
beautiful, large stone building. We entered through
immense wood doors which opened to a large room
filled with rows of chairs. There was a central
aisle and also aisles on each side. The walls
at the sides were filled with doorless arches and
over each arch I could see a symbol. Some I
recognized as familiar religious icons... most of
them, however, were totally unknown to me. The
chairs were filled with monks dressed in the same
brown robes as Brother Anthony.
As we entered, the monks rose and
turned. Every face smiled! It was a wonderful
welcome. Brother Anthony told me to walk up the
center aisle to the front of the room. That was when
I first noticed the stage area that was built there
with a beautiful altar in its center. On the wall
behind was a picture of the rising sun with its rays
stretching to the walls and ceiling. And in the
center of the stage, in front of the altar, stood
the most wondrous man... a monk whose aura glowed so
brightly that even I could see it clearly. He
motioned that I should join him there and waited
while I (very timidly!) approached.
In the PLM (past life memory),
there is a long welcoming ceremony and afterwards, a
meal and a chance to meet all the brothers
individually. My memories of all that is clear and
spotty at the same time. This first day with the
brotherhood grew into many happy years of work and
study, but more importantly, many years of service.
* In 1971 I drove
from Philadelphia to Montana, helping a friend move.
We drove up through parts of New England and then
upper New York State so that my friend could stop at
a Franciscan Monastery for a weekend retreat. When
we arrived, she was taken off to spend the time with
the nuns who lived and worked nearby while I was
taken to an apartment which was specifically
reserved for visitors who were not Catholic. I was
invited to listen to one gorgeous ceremony (lots of
beautiful singing) but the weekend was long and
boring as I waited in the apartment for her retreat
to end. On the last evening of our stay, I was (once
again) alone when someone knocked on the door. When
I opened it, there was a monk standing there... he
was older and very kind looking. He introduced
himself as the head monk of the monastery (sorry...
I don't know the titles and I don't remember his
name) and he invited me to join him for an evening
of conversation and sherry. He explained that he had
just learned that I had been left to my own devices
for the entire weekend and not welcomed very well.
He said he wanted to correct that oversight!
So, we walked to a small building which had meeting
rooms. In one of them there was a lovely fire going
and two overstuffed chairs were placed to enjoy the
cheerful flames. He invited me to sit and gave me a
glass of clear, amber sherry. We talked for a few
hours and at the end, he gave me a medal. He said,
he knew that my belief system didn't use the medals
but he wanted to give me a token and with it he
said, "Whenever you are in need, have this with you
and I will be there to help." I thanked him for his
generosity and said goodnight. Little did I know, at
the time of our meeting, he was terminally ill... he
passed two weeks later. I kept that medal and had it
nearby when both my sons were born. Eventually,
after many years and many moves, the medal got
packed away and forgotten. *
One of my clearest PLM memories as the monk is the
day of the monk's death. I was in the class in
Connecticut the first time I revisited the event. I
could see and feel clearly that the old (and very
plump!) monk knew that he was going to transition
that day. He went to the building where he had first
been introduced to the monastery and the other monks
and there they all were, waiting to say their
good-byes. There was a mixture of sorrow and
celebration as he moved slowly forward and was
embraced by each brother until eventually he stood
with the abbot at the altar. A short ceremony was
performed after which the abbot invited him to join
him for a last conversation. Together they went to a
small meeting room where a fire burned cheerfully
and two overstuffed chairs were placed to enjoy the
cheerful flames. We sat together and enjoyed a small
glass of clear, amber sherry and talked. As we
talked, the monk could feel pain gathering in his
left arm and then his chest. The head monk placed a
medal in his hand just before he passed and said
"Remember the medallion... I will be with you when
you need me." *
When I was done with the meditation I was very
upset... Where was the medal? There had been so many
moves... my attic was filled with boxes that hadn't
yet been unpacked from the last time. When I got
home that night I went straight to the attic... This
was a very dark room with only one light by the
stairs that barely glowed. I turned it on and
stepped forward kicking a box I hadn't seen. It
tipped over and spilled its contents everywhere...
and I heard one thing rolling in the dark... when I
found it and picked it up... it was the medallion. |
