Ampleforth Abbey welcomed a new novice into its community on 23 January when Freddy Magaya, from Kariba in Zimbabwe, was clothed as a monk by Abbot Robert at the Monastery of Christ the Word, Monte Cassino, Zimbabwe. He was given the monastic name Moses and is now Br Moses Magaya.
In his homily at the Clothing, Abbot Robert spoke about the importance of the occasion for the monastic community both in Ampleforth and at the monastery of Christ the Word: "In accepting you as a novice we are also accepting the responsibility to be a community that lives and that gives clear example of what we are teaching. Formation is not simply a question concerning the classes and instructions you will receive, critical as these are. Formation in the monastic tradition is a process of integration into a way of life, an immersion into a wisdom that facilitates an encounter with God".
Br Moses was clothed in a white habit, "not a form of identification like a uniform. It identifies us", Abbot Robert said, "as belonging to Christ and reminds us of our vocation to 'put on Christ', to immerse ourselves in the mystery of Christ daily".
The Abbot also spoke about monastic life as a journey, a journey from image to likeness: "Having been created in the image of God from the beginning of our existence, we are on a journey to enter fully into the likeness of God".
And he concluded: "Freddy, this I believe is the deepest significance of this moment of Clothing. The journey from image to likeness - a journey rooted in the mystery of Christ. For in Him alone are we transformed. Each day that we put on the habit we put on Christ, we choose to prefer nothing whatever to Christ. We allow ourselves to be conquered by Him. This is the primary way that we grow in our vocation. The only sure way for us to keep focussed on our journey from image to likeness. This is the way of holiness, the way of monastic discipleship".
You can find more about the Monastery of Christ the Word here.
