Unexpected Desire

An Unexpected Desire

THE FIRST PROFESSION OF BR. MAXIMILIAN MARY ANDERSON, OSB

What first attracted you to monastic life?

My parents raised me Catholic. I think I can sometimes wrongfully devalue that by trying to focus on the holes in what I received from them. That’s not the point, though. God gave me to my parents, entrusted them with bringing me up in the Church, and the important thing is that God gave me through them what I could not have given myself, namely life. I received a lot of good things from them over the years, but the faith that they tried to pass on to me for the sake of my eternal life is definitely the best. What first attracted me to the monastic life was an unexpected desire for the vocation to virginity, for belonging to God in a unique way. I really didn’t know what that was going to mean concretely for my life, but I knew Br. Leven, Fr. Simon, Fr. Jay, and some of the other monks here. That was enough to get me to come on my first Come and See retreat here and I kept coming back because I saw a way of life and a way of following

What, in your upbringing, prepared you for the monastic life?

Jesus that was attractive to me.

What has surprised you since you entered the postulancy?

I was most surprised by how bad I was at being a monk. I had some attitudes and habits that I brought in with me that I kind of expected I was going to need to drop, I was just surprised by how quickly. I will never forget Fr. Jay telling me “you have to stop dabbing.” [It’s a popular dance move]. That was a moment where my immaturity was shown to me in a way that was really fruitful. Fr. Jay’s correction was a gift because it helped me recognize where I was, accept my need to grow, and surrender to the way of life God was leading me to.

Do not be daunted immediately by fear and run away from the road that leads to salvation. It is bound to be narrow at the outset. - rule of st. benedict, prologue: 48

What are some of your hopes or aspirations for your future as a monk of St. Benedict’s Abbey?

I hope I get better at singing. It’s not that I think I’m terrible now, but sometimes my throat hurts a little on the higher notes and I can tell I’m straining. Outside of not experiencing pain, I hope that I grow in my singing because it’s a big part of our celebration of the liturgy. We sing hymns at Morning and Midday Prayer, we sing for Mass, and we sing everything for Vespers. Singing is something that is proper to the liturgy and elevates it beyond regular talking, which is good because the liturgy is not just regular talking. My prayer is helped both in that what I offer is of a higher order than mundane speech and I am struck by the words of the psalms, hymns, and antiphons in a way that I wouldn’t be otherwise.

Could you offer one piece of advice or a lesson that you have learned during your monastic formation?

Keep at it. Santa Teresa de Ávila says to do this with a “muy determinada determinación,” with a tenacious tenacity. This has served me well especially when I am tempted to self-pity. I don’t think that I am alone in that. What I see happen is that when I have a “bad” time in prayer with distractions and whatnot, I come away often desiring more to be with him. The ironic thing is that that’s kind of the whole point of prayer, the expansion of my desire and capacity for God. My recognition of my inability to reach him on my own puts me in the position most conducive to praying: begging for him to come to me and save me. I find when I do that, he always does. BR. MAXIMILIAN MARY ANDERSON, OSB • Parents: Joseph and Jeanne Anderson • Hometown: Gillette, Wyoming • First Vows: Dec. 8, 2019 • College Major: International Business and Spanish • Favorite Saint: St. Peter • Favorite Devotion: The Rosary • Favorite Book: The Lord of the Rings • Reading Now: Centered on Christ: A Guide to

Monastic Profession • Favorite Movie: Napoleon Dynamite • Favorite Food: Mac & Cheese • Favorite Childhood Toy: Legos • Favorite Place: Seville, Spain • Favorite Cereal: Raisin Bran • Best job I ever had: FOCUS Missionary • Worst Job I ever had: Ice Cream Server • You didn’t know: I really like ice skating. • Best advice I’ve ever received: Do the next right thing.