Oblation Anniversary

Signing my oblate vows

Today I celebrate the 4th year anniversary of my Final Oblation as a Benedictine Oblate of St. Meinrad Archabbey. The past 4 years have been filled with many blessings. The greatest being a deeper understanding of what God has called me to in this vocation.

The oblate life calls one to a deeper understanding and love for the liturgy of the Church. As Benedictines we are called to be active voices in the continual prayer of the Church in the Divine Office. We are to be formed in the liturgy of the Church and become voices which praise God throughout all time.

We cannot properly participate in praising God if we have not first listened to Him in His word. An attentive ear is always necessary, for to hear God’s voice one must always be open to how He wishes to reveal himself.

Listening with an open heart requires the oblate to respond. Obedience is found in the many situations of life. We are called to live our lives as best we can and respond to the daily demands. God is not found up in the clouds but in the menial things of life. How do we respond to Him there?

All this requires a certain amount of stability and follow through. One cannot possibly grow or hear God’s voice if they are continually on the move. What are we running from if we can’t possibly sit for a moment to learn what God wants from us?

The life of a Benedictine oblate is one of beauty. The liturgy, the Rule, community, and the word shows the oblate that life is beautiful and should be lived with purpose.

Being a Benedictine oblate of St. Meinrad Archabbey is a happy life. God has not been stingy with His grace in my vocation and He most certainly has not been in showing me how wonderful this calling is.

May St. Benedict, St. Meinrad and St. John Paul II pray for me and all oblates this day as I celebrate with joy my 4th anniversary of oblation.

Looking at life with open eyes

Getting older isn’t much fun. Soon I’ll turn 46. I’m grateful that I am alive and in good health. But this time also brings things into your life such as my mom being diagnosed with breast cancer.

You are forced to face the mortality of your parents and yourself. When my parents go to God, I must realize that I’m next. This is disturbing.

Saint Benedict tells us in Chapter 4 of his Rule to “keep death daily before your eyes.” I never really thought much of death until recently. It is something I need to focus on.

There are a lot of wonderful things that come with getting older, yet one is forced to look sickness and death in the face.

St. Benedict’s practice of keeping death daily before our eyes is a practice that should be done, because if we can face death with peace and the knowledge that we will be with God then we can accept what lies ahead.

How should an oblate react to things like sickness and death? We must realize that if we believe that God exists and the perfect place is to be with him, then we should not weep much over the loss of others or our own sickness because heaven awaits us when we close our eyes to this world.

Thanks be to God!