Bruno of Cologne: Abundance of refreshing springs

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The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23

“I am living in the wilderness of Calabria far removed from habitation. There are some brethren with me, some of whom are very well educated and they are keeping assiduous watch for their Lord, so as to open to Him at once when he knocks. I could never even begin to tell you how charming and pleasant it is. The temperatures are mild, the air is healthful; a broad plain, delightful to behold, stretches between the mountains along their entire length, bursting with fragrant meadows and flowery fields.

One could hardly describe the impression made by the gently rolling hills on all sides, with their cool and shady glens tucked away, and such an abundance of refreshing springs, brooks and streams. Besides all this, there are verdant gardens and all sorts of fruit-bearing trees.

Yet why dwell on such things as these? The man of true insight has other delights, far more useful and attractive, because divine. It is true, though that our rather feeble nature is renewed and finds new life in such perspectives, wearied by its spiritual pursuits and austere mode of life.

It is like a bow, which soon wears out and runs the risk of becoming useless, if it is kept continually taut. In any case, what benefits and divine exaltation the silence and solitude of the desert hold in store for those who love it, only those who have experienced it can know.”

Bruno of Cologne (c. 1030-1101) in “Letter of Saint Bruno to his friend Raoul-le-Verd”. Bruno refused to be a bishop or attend the Council of Clermont that would launch the Crusades. Instead, rather chose to live in silence and solitude, where he wrote commentaries on the Psalms and the letters of Paul.

The order of monks he founded, the Carthusians, would become known for spending time in silence, solitude, and reading Scripture and doing self-sufficient work. In a world filled with turmoil, Bruno and his fellow monks, both male and female, resolved to listen to God and share what they heard.

My wife as Soulcare Anchoress and I as Generosity Monk can relate to Bruno. It is hard to describe all that silence and solitude “hold in store for those who love it, only those who have experienced it can know.” While we don’t live in a mountain retreat, we do actively seek after God in a strife-filled world.

We find that silence, solitude, and reading Scripture, causes our cups to overflow. As David declared “Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,” we find that God’s goodness, that is, His generosity flows to us, so that we have an “abundance of refreshing springs” to enjoy and share.