I've been reading In Good Company, The Fast Track from the Corporate World to Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience by James Martin, SJ. It tells the story of his transition from an unfilling high powered corporate job to the Jesuit Novitiate in the 1980's. Nothing earth shattering or even terribly eye opening and of course his Jesuit novice experience was different than my groovy sister novice experience would be. But it's still helpful to get someone else's perspective on this crazy yet wonderful journey.
One question (or series of questions) I've been having is the timing of how this would all work out. To be specific, how long between when I officially know if I'm going to novitiate and when I actually have to be there, bags packed and loose ends tied up. He found out on August 15 and entered August 28. Turns out I'll probably have about a whole extra week! So no problem, right?
In the end, he discovered that he had to take a leap of faith and give his notice at work before he officially knew. I'll probably have to do the same, with work and my apartment. Otherwise it's just not feasible.
I dealt with my premature freak out on this timing issue a few weeks ago by, ready for it, actually sharing my questions and concerns with my formation director. A novel concept I know. Not that she had answers to all my questions, but I just felt better sharing them with her. And we've got MONTHS to sort this out - although I realize time does indeed fly.
Reading James Martin's account of a nearly identical dilemma, however, made me feel even better about it all. It's always good to know "it's not just you."
2 comments:
I enjoyed that book in part because he sounds a lot like me. There's a sense of jumping into something and then saying "Oh no! What have I gotten myself into!" But the part that really made me laugh was when he was going on a retreat and asked "so what's the agenda here?" He never quite got the answer he was looking for and finally decided that maybe they didn't know what the agenda was. It reminded me of the first time I went on a retreat. I kept asking everyone what the rules were, what was I supposed to do to make it good. The answers I got were all variations on "relax, be present, and let what happens happen." That was no answer! So I'd go ask someone else and get pretty much the same answer. I was positive that I was going to do everything wrong! You know what? God had it all in hand.
That was a good part.
I also liked the story of the first house meeting he facilitated in novitiate. He was impressed that they got done and to a decision within an hour. Of course only one or two people talked and others didn't have a chance to "share."
One of those little differences between corporate America and religious life :)
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