Vocation: Hear the Call to Benedictine Oblation
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Oblates walk to the Guest House after attending Mass in the Archabbey Church. Vocation: Hear the call to Benedictine Oblation There is an abundance The reason for this is that becoming an of material available oblate is not the same as joining a church defining and describing study club or a social organization. In fact, what a Benedictine the initiative does not really come from the Oblate is and what he person himself or herself. It all begins with a or she does. Generally call understood somehow to originate with speaking, oblation is God. understood as the self- Fr. Eugene Hensell, OSB offering of one’s life to This call is real, but at the same time it is God in association with mysterious. It can raise as many questions as a Benedictine monastery. While programs it provides answers. While many people have differ, they all share a common dynamic of a experienced this call, it is not a one-size-fits- true offering that brings about true all experience. belonging to a monastic community. The place I go to get help in thinking and At various times, I have encouraged both praying about the notion of “call” or men and women to investigate the “vocation” is the Gospel of Mark 1:16-20, possibility of becoming a Benedictine where Jesus calls his first disciples. A careful Oblate. Quite often, these people will ask reading of that story raises some important me, “How will I know whether or not I questions. Simon, Andrew, James and John should become an oblate?” I have found that are at work fishing. There is nothing unusual a difficult question to answer in any simple, in that. All of a sudden, Jesus passes by them objective manner. Continued on p. 2 NEWSLETTER FOR BENEDICTINE OBLATES OF SAINT MEINRAD Spring 2015, Volume 21:2 A POINT TO continued from p. 1 were a big magnet whose power goes PONDER FROM directly to the hearts of these fishermen on the shore. There is no indication that and they are drawn to him, no questions they had ever seen Jesus before this asked. moment or heard him preach or teach. He was a stranger. TheRule Now, notice how St. Benedict begins his “Whether (the monk) is at the rule. “Listen, O my children, to the Without any introduction or small talk, Divine Office, in the oratory, teachings of your master, and turn to them Jesus immediately calls these four in the monastery, in the with the ear of your heart.” Key here is the fishermen with the invitation to follow garden, on a journey, in the image of “the ear of your heart.” That is a him and he will make them fish for wonderful image that captures the inner field or anywhere at all, people. What makes this scene even dynamic of a call to serve God, also whether sitting, walking stranger yet is that all four fishermen referred to as a vocation. or standing, let his head immediately leave their boats and follow be bowed and his Jesus. eyes directed downward.” That is precisely how Jesus called his first disciples and I am suggesting that this is Zebedee, the father of James and John, is Rule of St. Benedict Chapter 7:62-64 the mysterious process involved in being left in the boat together with the hired called to become a Benedictine Oblate. It To become a steward of God’s hands wondering what just happened. is a call of the heart and to the heart. It creation, one must first have a Notice that none of the four fishermen stems from faith rather than certitude. It humble stance. A deep sense of asked Jesus any questions, such as: Who does not answer a lot of our questions and humility will distinguish between are you? Where did you come from and one who loves and cares for the thus can appear unreasonable and illogical. God-given resources of the earth where are you going? What kind of bait and one who exploits them for is required for fishing for people? Why In many cases, we cannot explain why we personal gain. did you pick us? feel so strongly about responding to this The twelfth step of humility from call. All we know is that it is powerfully Anyone who would have witnessed this the Rule of St. Benedict speaks to this drawing us like a magnet and that we have humble stance. The Benedictine event would have been scandalized by to respond according to the dictates of our value of humility is the best source the action of the four fishermen who heart. to establishing the human place in apparently left the family business to the cosmos. Humility presents a follow someone totally unknown to do posture that is required in our Many things can lead up to our call to be something about which they know moment of critical environmental a Benedictine Oblate. We visit a degradation. nothing. Such action would have been monastery and we are attracted to the considered shameful and irresponsible. It is a humble and wholly human liturgy. We read the Rule of St. Benedict Why would these fishermen do such a monastic individual, whether monk and we find it solid and practical. We meet thing? Why would Mark tell such a or oblate, standing in a reverent bow other oblates and we have a sense of – in the monastery, the home, the scandalous story? Church, the workplace – with eyes community and a feeling of belonging. These experiences often give a sense of focused attentively on the earth. I think there are several reasons for this. Humility is the precursor to having found something important for First, Mark wants to get our attention environmental stewardship. which we have been searching for a long and this story succeeds in doing that. time. Second, Mark wants us to know that the is published four times Ben edictine Oblate call to follow Jesus is not necessarily a year by Saint Meinrad Archabbey. Still, none of this accurately captures the something logical, rational and well Editor: Mary Jeanne Schumacher call itself. Becoming a Benedictine Oblate thought out. The response of these Designer: Tammy Schuetter is responding to a call of the heart. It is a fishermen to the call of Jesus comes Oblate Directors: Fr. Meinrad Brune, call to offer oneself in service to God OSB and Fr. Joseph Cox, OSB straight from the heart and not from the through an association with a monastic brain. It is a response rooted in faith and community governed by the Rule of St. Send changes of address and comments to not based on certitude. The Editor, Development Office, Benedict and an abbot or prioress. We Saint Meinrad Archabbey, might not be able to explain to others why In fact, outside the realm of faith, their 200 Hill Dr., St. Meinrad, IN 47577, we are doing such a thing, but in our response appears to be totally (812) 357-6817, fax (812) 357-6325 hearts we believe it is the right thing to do. or email [email protected] irresponsible. It is not easily www.saintmeinrad.org understandable or explainable. They Fr. Eugene Hensell, OSB, monk ©2015, Saint Meinrad Archabbey respond to the person of Jesus as if He Saint Meinrad Archabbey 2 OBLATES A voice from the past In their own words Editor’s note: This is a condensed article means that may lead us on to Him, i.e., by Fr. Gerard Ellspermann, OSB, associate grace and the forgiveness of our sins. oblate director from 1951-58, oblate director from 1961-69, and again from Here is God’s scheme for us; here is his 1980-92. It appeared in a 1960s issue of desire; here is his plan. He has planted the Oblate Newsletter. deep in our hearts an insatiable desire of Him, a hunger and thirst for Him that Now think back! Just how many talks can only be satisfied when we possess Him have you ever heard on hope? On faith in heaven. and charity, yes, there have been many, but hope – very, very few. And yet hope What is the motive for our hope? The plays a most important part in our motive is God, for hope is founded on spiritual life and needs to be stressed in God’s revealed goodness and power. We our times when a lack of goal and loss of hope because God is infinitely powerful confidence and courage cause so many and because nothing is difficult to Him. Oblate Mark Van Lummel problems. We hope because He is a loving Father, Granger, IN who is merciful and keeps his promise. In a chapter entitled “The Instruments of “Since becoming an oblate, I’ve God’s Works,” St. Benedict includes One can understand why St. Benedict focused more on perseverance. three short sayings that demand would have us “put our hope in God.” He Praying the Liturgy of the Hours attention. He exhorts us 1) “to put one’s would have us view ourselves in our is a daily thing, and I find that if hope in God,” 2) “to desire eternal life twofold relation to Him as creature and as I miss a time, something is with all spiritual longing,” and 3) “never child. He is our Creator, powerful, missing in the day. I think the to despair of God’s mercy.” omnipotent, Lord of all. This “Lord God greatest blessing for me is that of all things” we must beseech “with all the Liturgy of the Hours puts First of all, what is hope? It is a humility and purity of devotion.” me in community with everyone theological virtue because God is the direct object of this virtue, just as with This is you, my dear oblates, whom St.