Monestir de Montserrat

Friday, February 24, 2006

Today is Friday…and although it did not start off too good, it is becoming a great day.

First of all, never traveling to Europe I thought that the easiest thing to do use my credit-ATM card….well after numerous attempts, I learned that Wells Fargo cut off access to the withdrawal of cash because of wide spread fraud throughout Spain and twenty six other countries. Well, it was now 3:30 and the banks were now closed for the weekend…. All I could do was use credit card….the problem was that in most machines, although they advertised for credit card, they treated it as a check card…so all I had to my name is 43 euros…


Having made arrangements with the a priest to stay at Monestir de Montserrat (Monastery) , I called them and told them I would be late…I bought a round trip train ticket for 12 euros and off I went…the train ride was great but it took about 60 minutes to arrive at one of the first two stops…I then got off at the wrong stop….the one that I had gotten off on was for the sky baskets….and when I approached them, they said that I could be their last customer….looking up at the mountain….and how high it was, I promptly said no thanks! I will wait an hour in the cold for another hour for the train. I did and it took me to the end. I then transferred to a small tram which took me up the mountain. It was now 7:p.m. and the tram took us all the way up to one of the highest mountaintop. As I arrived at the top of the mountain I was completely breathless. Not understanding some of the local language, I went looking for Padre Osperado whom I had an appointment with…I knocked on the door of the rectory several times, but no answer. I then I went up the stairs and saw that they could not be bothered until the completion of vespers…so I waited. Finally I doubled checked that I was at the right location and they confirmed it was ….so I went back and sure enough someone answered the door and asked me who I was. Once I gave him my name, he asked me to come up…and so I did…He asked me to take a seat until he called Father Osperado …

Ten minutes later, the monk walked into the hall and introduced himself…and as he did he took a few looks at my luggage (one large bag) and he asked me why I was here….my response was that “I was an a sabbatical and that I wanted to mediate for a bit and that today was my 16th birthday as a recovering alcoholic and that I wanted to spend some silence with my God”…He then welcomed me and asked that I leave my luggage in an area of the facility so that he could show me the place…He showed me to my room, the bathroom, gave me a key to my room and showed me the schedule for the next two day. I have never been so nervous in my life…

I then had to walk up three flights of stairs, hauling my new Canon camera and my laptop on my shoulder and one huge piece of luggage. Thirty minuets later, I walked out of my room with several other men to the formal dining room. We had to wait outside until we were asked to come in. The monks had to be seated first and once they all filled the dining room, a monk asked us to come in. He asked that each of us be seated per his instructions and we sat at a head table…

We were asked to fill out our name and place it at the table. Then we stood until prayer was said. First came the lentil soup, followed by a salad. We had a bottle of wine and water at our table. When I was offered wine, I refused. For the main course it was baby shrimps and potatoes with bread. I waited with great anticipation about their dessert. At looking at all of the monks….many of them much older, I could not help but wonder, the how the rate of diabetes because the people here eat lots of pastries. Thinking I was going to eat a strawberry shortcake or chocolate mouse I was surprised to have been served an orange marmalade…It was delicious!

Once closing prayers, we retreated to our rooms for about 20 minutes…then at about 9:p.m., my neighbor Carles knocked on my door to remind me about closing prayers in the church. Again we had to wait until the monks entered; once they took their seats, we were asked to sit in the second pew. We were handed the prayer book and copies of the chant, once we finished and recessed I followed my fellow attendees and we visited the shrine of the black Madona. I kissed her feet and walked out. I was in complete awe….I was in a basilca that will be celebrating its 1,000 anniversary in a world famous monastery and I could not even understand half of what was said…

I came to my room to enter into my journal. It is 10:12 p.m. and I have a small window looking out at the square. Although I wanted this day to be special and spiritually fulfilling could not be too focused on God and spirit because I was thrilled. Another dream had come true for me.

Now if you do not understand what feeling I am having and if you are a sports fan, imagine walking onto the field of Yankee Stadium or Wrigley Field. That thrill and excitement was overwhelming for me…so in trying to experience what I wanted to experience, I have to recall the words of my dear friend Ida who usually suggest that I live in that moment. I was experiencing the once in a lifetime dream…. Now I have to sign off…because I have to get up at 5:30 a.m. for prayers…. I cannot believe it…. 5:30 a.m. in the morning!