Sometimes it is worth to step out of the familiar and face the foreign. There is a lot to learn. About God, about the world, about ourselves. Here in England I just can’t stop feeling that everything is so different.
At home, in Hungary I am Pastor Novotny Dániel, a respected Lutheran priest for 20 years. Here I am Daniel Novotny, a funny little and round guest in the College. At home I preach to more than a thousand people on almost a daily basis as school chaplain of a large Lutheran grammar school. Here I just stumble with English and keep silent for days. At home I give lecture on dogmatics and philosophy of religion. Here I am just a humble student sitting in the classroom, who realizes that knows nothing. At home my house is loud by my four children gathering around their father. Here the only touch is the peace handshake in the Eucharist liturgy. At home I am piled with heavy duties above my strength. Here I got the chance to step out time and space to meet God and face myself in a really radical way.
I came here with a strict plan to finish the writing of my first book, which also should be my PhD dissertation. Instead I found myself in an intense spiritual training about humbleness, self-discipline and mostly about the measurement of the essence of my personal faith. My faith got tested, perhaps like the other Daniel of the Old Testament.
There is a lot I have learnt here. I am so grateful for this to Christ, who came to me through the brothers of the Community, the College teachers and students, the sacramental moments in the Upper and in the Lower Church, through the mystical garden and the blooming spring. Thanks for all.
Dániel Novotny
