Trappist for a week

Our Lady of Guadelupe Trappist Abbey is my home these days.  Trappists live a life of prayer and contemplation.  But they do some work to be able to sustain their abbey.  Prayer is 5 times a day:  4:15am - Vigils, 6:30am - Lauds and Mass, 12:30pm - Angelus, 5:30 - Vespers, 7:30 - Night prayer.  I have entered into their prayer schedule and found it a great way to be on retreat.  With no other demands on my time it provides a ready discipline of prayer.  Obviously I've been going to bed early with the early vigil time.  It has given me time and space to read and reflect on what has happened to me in the last months.  Today I was especially conscious of all the First Communicants at St. John's in Mankato.  It is hard not to be a part of those festivities.  But it reminds me that I will be back soon.  Blessings to all.