Here are a few other segments of my retreat reflections, pulled together and edited in the context of the long week that has just ended.

There was once a pilgrim who greatly enjoyed going on retreat at a local monastery. One day, he was told the story of a king who dreamt he was a butterfly and woke up wondering if he were truly a king who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly who dreamt he was a king.

The pilgrim pondered in his heart, “When and where am I am king and when and where am I a butterfly?”

How might the Episcopal Church better live out the rule of Benedict? How might it listen better? How might it live out the rule about welcoming guests? Here, I’m thinking particularly about aspects beyond the parish level. The book we are reading is Holy Solitude: Lenten Reflections with Saints, Hermits, Prophets, and Rebels. How willing are we to embrace prophetic and rebellious actions today?

What would it be like to come up to Holy Cross Monastery for the day one Saturday a month, perhaps becoming some sort of companion or associate? Perhaps, being at least partly, involved in the Diocese of New York? How might that fit with my journey?