In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few.
Shunryu Suzuki - Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind
Fallen leaf
Haunted, hunted, by the hound of heaven,
Or by the howlings of hell?
When will I die?
When will I die?
When will I live?
Have I ever lived?
How did I spend my life?
How will I spend my death?
Quickly blossomed
Quickly faded
Fallen leaf.
Haunted, hunted, by the hound of heaven,
Or by the howlings of hell?
When will I die?
When will I die?
When will I live?
Have I ever lived?
How did I spend my life?
How will I spend my death?
Quickly blossomed
Quickly faded
Fallen leaf.
|
To behold a tree Is prayer, and more so than Mass Poorly attended, Mind distracted, not present To the presence of the One. |
MTMonk. Welcome to the website of Fr. William Paul McKane, OSB, a Benedictine monk residing alone in the Ruby Valley in Montana. We shall post brief essays, poems, prayers, photographs, and links on this website. My main interests are in our spiritual life, in philosophy, in seeking the truth about God and man. With a doctorate in political science / political philosophy, I am also interested in the well-being of our citizens, of our political system and society, and of our world.
MTMonk. Empty Monk. A real monk seeks to be empty of self, or self-centered existence, in order to allow God to reign in and through him. MTMonk just happens to be suitable for a monk living in Montana, MT.
A monk’s purpose and way of living is simple: to seek God. One seeks God in faith, truth, goodness, beauty, and in silence. Monk comes from the Greek word, monachos, in turn based on the Greek word monos, meaning alone. A monk must be essentially alone to be all one in God. Alone with the Alone is the familiar phrase by the Greek-speaking philosopher, Plotinus (204-270 A.D.) To be alone with the Alone is the way of the monk. Meditation is the lifeblood of a monk, and it is conducted in silence and in the darkness of unknowing.
A monk’s purpose and way of living is simple: to seek God. One seeks God in faith, truth, goodness, beauty, and in silence. Monk comes from the Greek word, monachos, in turn based on the Greek word monos, meaning alone. A monk must be essentially alone to be all one in God. Alone with the Alone is the familiar phrase by the Greek-speaking philosopher, Plotinus (204-270 A.D.) To be alone with the Alone is the way of the monk. Meditation is the lifeblood of a monk, and it is conducted in silence and in the darkness of unknowing.