Monasteries are often located in remote and inaccessible places, and these are no exception. There were designed to offer the monks a retreat from the world with all its noises and temptations. As someone who loves to take an annual silent retreat I understand exactly what the rationale behind this approach; being away from the busyness of the world affords on the opportunity to hear from and experience God in new ways.
Nevertheless, on this pilgrimage in the steps of the apostle Paul, I can't help being reminded that Paul chose a different model of engagement with the world. Indeed, a key part of Paul's missionary strategy was to go towards the noise, the bustle, the temptations of the key urban centres at the time. He wanted to engage the world with the claims of Christ even if that meant, as it almost always did, challenge and opposition. But he knew the good news of Jesus was not to take us out of the world but to enable us to live fully in it.
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