I wanted to share with you some comments about last week's blog that were sent to me in an email, because I think that they offer a lot to think about!

I just read your 5/7 Theological Reflections and was struck in particular by the specific phrase: "Chastity, while often understood as celibacy, actually means to remain true to one’s state in life." I was also impressed at how your thoughts seemed to somewhat parallel what I had read in Fr. Rolheiser's column: The Secret of a Monk’s Cell.

Since I can't really even paraphrase what Fr. Rolheiser said I will copy a few passages and underline [italicized here instead] to point out the similarities I see between your thoughts and his.

"This advice (to stay in one's cell) is being given to monks, to professional contemplatives, to persons living inside a monastic enclosure, to persons whose very vocation it is to live in solitude, to persons whose primary duty of state it is to pray in silence. In such a context, the word "cell" becomes a code-word that encapsulates the entire vocation and duties of state of a monk. Thus when Abba Moses says, "Go, sit in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything" he is, in effect, counselling due diligence and fidelity. Do what you came here to do! To remain in one’s cell is synonymous with fidelity.

And that’s sound spiritual advice for everyone, not just monks. Our "cell" is another word for our primary set of responsibilities, for our duties of state, for due diligence and fidelity inside of our vocations, relationships, marriages, families, churches, and communities. To "leave one’s cell" is to neglect our responsibilities or to be unfaithful. To let "our cell teach us everything" is to have faith that if we remain faithful inside of our moral values and our proper commitments then virtue and fidelity will themselves teach us what we need to know to come to maturity and sanctity."

First of all, let me say how profoundly I was struck by the insights offered here! I love the connection with being "in one's cell" and fidelity to our calling and the responsibilities those callings entail! I also think of the command to dwell in one's cell as the call to go within oneself, to spend time just being with oneself and God, again for those leading active lives as well as contemplatives. For me the line about "your cell will teach you everything" brings in that idea of self reflection as well. We come to know ourselves and our God through living our lives with faithfulness to our primary responsibilities and commitments. Likewise we find the energy to live that faithfulness through coming to know ourselves, taking some time to be in the "cell" of our own self, as well as in taking time to just be with and in God.

I highly recommend Ron Rolheiser as an author. I have frequently used his book, Against an Infinite Horizon, in one of the courses I taught.