There are many Holy Places to pray here at the skete, especially the Church, the chapels, the Prayer Wall and the Cave. However, I always find myself able to pray with clarity in the shower.
There is something about standing there, water pouring on you, as the steam is rising towards the light...
Water - purifying, Lev. 15:13
Steam - prayer rising, Mal.1:11
light - The Light, John 14:6
I remember Seraphim's story about his time when he was teaching in Scotland. He was at the Servite Fathers and there was a crowd of Students. And they loved his talk and gathered around him. Afterwards he begin to feel quite good about himself and the reception and his talk. That night he went to take his shower before bed. At the Servites, there was no hot water. And as he showered in the cold water he thought, "all we really are is who we are cold, naked, standing before God." We can pretend and puff up, but our reality is who we are in a cold shower.
Today's Feast (January 25): Conversion of Paul, Apostle
Before his conversion, Paul had been a leading persecutor of Christians. While journeying to Damascus to persecute more Christians, Paul had his conversion. He saw a great light and heard a voice say,"Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?" Paul responded, "Who art thou, Lord? Jesus responded, "I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest." Paul's conversion resulted in witnessing the resurrected Christ to others, and was thus one of belief rather than of conscience. May we, too, know the truth of the risen Christ, and spend ourselves following the holy doctrine which Paul taught, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
This street is toward the south of us and in a subdivision. So we stay in the car and pray the 6th Decade of the Remnant Rosary - The Name. Then we return home.
