I received word yesterday that a small monestary not far from me is in need of my services. I felt a warmth on the back of my neck when I read it, for the position is one that I was trained for as a youth but never practiced as an adult: writing prayer books and illustrating scripture.
Since graduating all those years ago I've only been preaching, hearing confessions, advising the parishoners, helping the downtrodden, and all the other work involved with running or helping to run various small to large churches. I've never actually written a prayer book from scratch or copied the holy word onto new parchment since completing my studies.
In school, if I do say so myself, I was quite a good artist/caligrapher and I always enjoyed it. The different inks & writing implements, the smell of new parchment, applying the gold leaf just so. I even did some projects where groups of us re-interpreted the holy word of our lord. Out in the world there wasn't much call for those skills. There are of course many times that I must repair old books and re-illustrate pages here and there. It feels like the old days but all-in-all it's not really the same.
The local baron of my latest church seems indifferent to me, but his son (who is also his right-hand man) loves my work. He is a a true convert, so I know that our church will always be welcome here. We have many parishoners and they're always complementing my sermons and my work. The parish is large enough that I'm always busy and I am comfortable here and feel secure in their love.
The monestary is very small and the working conditions & it's influence in the larger community are largely unknown. I'm not such a young man anymore and leaving my current parish would be viewed as a betrayal by the Baron's son, so if I left there would be no coming back.
What would you do?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
Go where the Lord Mammon will lead you; life is too short to stagnate.
ReplyDeleteI have not prayed at a different church since 1998, and the newest sacraments have escaped my reach.
If the parish needs meet the fulfillment value of the good priest there is harmony. In other words son, move the ball forward in both games and its a win-win. But, be prepared as the technology demons are lurking everywhere and the deadly M$ has been known to displace entire congregations when you least expect it! Do your proper research in the local monastic bibliotheca and make sure there is no dissension within the order that you cannot overcome.
ReplyDelete