Have you ever seen a nun in her habit? Have you ever wondered what on earth possesses them to wear such outrageous fashion? I have often wondered at the mystery of things I don’t understand. This has been part of my motivation for watching the latest series of Compass: ‘The Abbey’ on the ABC Sunday nights. I decided to park my cynical mind for a moment and watch the unfolding of the stories told by nuns who have chosen to live a life of solitude dedicated to prayer, silence, service and private community. My eyes have been open to appreciate many amazing things about the monastic lifestyle.
The habit a nun wears is not just a bad fashion statement, in fact it is a symbol of the rebellion against conformity. The habit is a sacrament in itself, each part of the garment carrying significant meaning (as acknowledged in a ceremony of receiving the consecrated garb) that reminds the nun of the lifestyle she has chosen to live. A life clothed not in the things of this world, in fact they have renounced the things of this world, but clothed in a habit which would display the life of Christ. The habit reminds her each day that she has reason to praise God and she will praise God through her every action.
We have many habits in life that display who we are. So what are habits? You know, it’s that thing you do when you don’t know you’re doing it, like biting your nails when you’re nervous, or biting your tongue when you’re concentrating really hard. I have this habit where I jig my right leg rapidly when I’m stressed or have a lot on my mind. This habit was discovered by my wife one day when she noticed the dining table was vibrating along with the floor and the things on the table were migrating all by themselves to the edges. It was not until the obvious questions of curiosity were asked by people sitting around the table that my wife and I discovered my habit and stopped.
We all have habits even when we don’t know it, habits that cause certain behaviors. Some people’s habits are constructed deliberately like the habits of those who want to give thanks and praise God through acts of service and worship. There are habits that are counter productive for us that can be self-destructive. They can cause us and others harm. Some of us don’t like the habits we have and we try recondition our lifestyle but fail. Many habits give us cause for lament. Each habit creates a rhythm in life, but how often do we stop and ponder our habit? How happy are you with the habits you have in your everyday life?
‘The nun does not get up in the morning and go to the closet and think to herself, hmmm. I wonder what to wear today. The habit is what she wears.’[1]
What kind of habit will you don today? Will it be a habit of lament or a habit of giving praise to God with your everyday life? This habit is clothing you’re self with Christ intentionally each day and allowing your life to speak out of it.
Shalom
Mark Riessen
[1] Crowder, David, ‘Praise Habit – finding God in sunsets and sushi’, Think 2004, Colorado Springs, p39
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment