The eCrozier

My friend Ken Leech was fond of telling the story of Fr Neville who was the long-tenured chaplain at a theological college in the Church of England. Fr Neville, it seems, had the disciplined spiritual practice of taking a two-hour nap every afternoon from 2 pm until 4 pm. He kept this spiritual practice as part of a larger, disciplined Rule of Life. One day, the new Dean of the College approached him at breakfast asking him for a favor. There was a visiting African bishop who was to address the students of the college after lunch that day. The Dean had just been notified that he must attend a meeting of university deans that very afternoon. Since he could not host the visiting bishop and also attend this meeting, he asked Fr Neville if he could meet the bishop when he arrived at half past one, introduce him for his talk with the student body, and then see him to the guest quarters afterward. Fr Neville assured him he could and he would.

The visiting bishop from Africa arrived on schedule. Fr Neville greeted him, got him settled in, and right before 2 p.m. brought the bishop to the college’s assembly hall where the entire student body awaited him. The students, who knew of Fr Neville’s spiritual discipline, might have been there more for their curiosity about what Fr Neville would do as they were for the visiting bishop’s remarks. Fr Neville gave a stirring, heart-felt introduction of the bishop, invited the bishop to the podium, and as the bishop began to speak, Fr Neville left the assembly hall, retired to his room, and took his daily nap. At 4 p.m. Fr Neville arose, as was his practice, headed back to the assembly hall, arriving just as the bishop was concluding his remarks, thanked the bishop for a thoughtful and spirit-filled presentation, and escorted the bishop to the guest quarters so the bishop could rest before tea.

I cannot do justice in writing this story. One really has to have heard it told by the story-master, Ken Leech (and with Fr Leech’s version it takes about 20 minutes to tell). Still, however humorous we might find the story and the circumstances and individuals who are a part of it, there is a deeper learning in it for all of us. Fr Neville was not about to alter his spiritual practice for anyone, especially and including a visiting bishop. His disciplined practice shaped his discipleship in Jesus Christ. Thus, he was committed to it, come what may. And he was able to accomplish what his dean asked him to do without sacrificing his spiritual practice.

Now, we all might question how important naps are to any spiritual discipline. Fair enough. Eating a quart of ice cream every night as a spiritual discipline might be equally suspect. But I want to defend Fr Neville’s naps as spiritual discipline. Naps are just short, restful holidays from our work. Thus, they certainly can be a legitimate part of any spiritual practice. Remember that rest was an integral and indispensable part of St Benedict’s Rule – still the gold standard for a disciplined spiritual life.

On Monday, I am taking a five-day “nap,” er, retreat. This is a busy time in the life of the Church. It is not a good time to get away and take this retreat. That may be why it is absolutely essential that I do it.

+Scott