I really liked it. This is reality TV - watching real people, really living real lives. So, my main thoughts:
Crying is a good thing. Crying happened when individuals were challenged, realised something true, had a painful experience or had an extreme emotion. I think I read somewhere that St. Benedict almost expected his monks to cry during prayer. Crying is something that is just not done in public; it is hidden, which I think is possibly the worst thing to do. These women are really brave.
I found everything that Victoria (referred to in the programme commentary as 'The Atheist') said to be really interesting. She reminded me of conversations I have with my sister (who claims not to believe in God), where we both come to similar conclusions - like, 'if nothing you do matters, all that matters is what you do' - from different frames of reference, but essentially meaning the same thing.
To live a Christian life is to struggle to truly be yourself. It is a battle, it is hard work and nothing can be taken for granted. I found it an eye-opener to compare the joy and hard work of the nuns with the apathy and complacency of regular Christians, living in the world.
Pride is so hidden and sneaky. Everything - absolutely everything - I have ever learned or been exposed to says that everything I do or am should be right or worthy just because it is I that do it. It is really painful to realise that I can only be right or worthy if I don't think or believe I am (a challenge when it is the basic assumption of everything. It really is - just consider it), and that it shouldn't/can't/doesn't matter anyway.
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