Rose Ann Cavins of Evansville, IN, made her oblation as an oblate of Saint Meinrad on December 15, 2018. Awakening: A call to move deeper into the oblate life “In what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.” –Mark 13:37 St. Benedict lived in a time that was As oblates, we have committed ourselves to wrought with violence, greed and the living in this awakening through the Rule struggle for power. He saw corruption in the offered by St. Benedict. By choosing to live systemic decay of institutions that left people our lives based on those same life principles, bereft of human kindness. we also choose to “keep awake” and turn upside down the ways of society. His response was to remove himself completely from the corruption and Given the invitation to move into a different insidiousness plaguing his world. His level of faith and being, our oblation is an awakening to the desire to seek God drew awakening that calls us to let go of darkness him into the desert and away from the usual and evil influences and, in doing so, to move routines and influences that were hardening deeper into the promises made in Baptism. his heart. We do renounce sin and reject the lure of evil. From his desert experience and the awakening it afforded him, others noticed Awakening brings with it the process of and sought his wisdom. Benedict developed metanoia (a change of heart and mind). small communities of followers. He taught Heed Benedict’s call for humility to heal that pride is the basic flaw in the human ourselves and our world. Keep awake and system and that humility must be the Obsculta inclina aurem cordis tui – “Listen by cornerstone of society, of civilization and of inclining the ear of your heart.” the social order. He based his rule of life on 12 principles of humility that historians say Kathleen Polansky, oblate saved western civilization. New Salisbury, IN NEWSLETTER FOR BENEDICTINE OBLATES OF SAINT MEINRAD Spring 2019, Volume 25:2 A POINT TO PONDER FROM We should listen with care One memory I We’re aiming for Easter, of course, the have of first grade ultimate spring, the grand awakening to The R ule was the teacher the best of what God has to offer us: the asking us to write pledge of eternal life, made visible through “Let peace be your (probably print!) a the resurrection and ascension of our Lord quest and aim.” short paragraph on Jesus Christ. our two favorite Rule of St. Benedict, Prologue 17 seasons. One We’ve gone through this change of seasons before, of course. And so, let me ask the The watchword for Benedictines is favorite was winter, Archabbot Kurt question: how can we “wake up” to what peace. As this text says, it is the Stasiak, OSB because it brought the Lord offers us this spring, this Easter, quest and aim of our life. We have snow and Santa this year? to work for peace, both internally Claus. But my most favorite was and externally. If we assume that summer, with its days full of swimming Let me simply refer to the very first word peace just happens, we are “peace- and baseball. of St. Benedict’s Rule for Monks : listen. hopers.” We must awaken to the Asked to choose my favorite seasons times and places that call for peace We need to listen – carefully, patiently. and mediation. now, some 60+ years later? Well, snow and Santa Claus don’t excite me much Remember the prophet Elijah. He was anymore and, while I still like swimming expecting to hear the Lord’s voice in a St. Benedict wants us to exercise mighty thunderstorm or in a fierce wind. effort in creating the basis for true and baseball, I don’t really spend a lot of time with either. Ironically, I’d have to Instead, the Lord spoke to him in a gentle peace. We must bring into all our breeze, a whisper. relationships an effort that makes say my favorite seasons now are the “other two” – spring and fall. Perhaps for harmony, blessing and love. We The sounds of spring, the sounds of later I can write about fall. Here, a few must seek peace not only with those awakening, of new life emerging, can be thoughts about spring. with whom we live, but also peace all around us—in church and in within our very selves! Spring brings us through the last few community, in family and in friends, and weeks of winter, and perhaps we can see even at work and business. Spring is a When we have that peace, we can gentle season, and we like to be woken up enter into the mystery of God, who there a parallel in the Church’s liturgical year as through March and early April gently, slowly. Let us take care to listen is eternal peace. The first step is with care. awakening to what is in conflict, we make our way through Lent. We move slowly. (Lent is a long season!) discord or chaos so that our Archabbot Kurt Stasiak, OSB And we move carefully. (There are those intervention does not add to it, but Saint Meinrad Archabbey is a means for resolution and Lenten penances we’ve taken on.) reconciliation. From the Desk of the Director Ben edictine Oblate is published four times a year by Saint Meinrad Archabbey. Editor: Mary Jeanne Schumacher Awaken to life’s possibilities Designer: Tammy Schuetter Every day of my awakening is becoming aware and Oblate Director: Janis Dopp Oblate Chaplain: Fr. Joseph Cox, OSB life I am choosing the better path with each choice Editorial Staff: Kathleen Polansky, Brenda confronted with that confronts me. Black and Becky Boyle choices too numerous to We awaken from a state where we are less Send changes of address and comments to count. Should I aware or unaware: we wake from sleep. The Editor, Development Office, stay in bed longer We move from a total lack of engagement Saint Meinrad Archabbey, 200 Hill Dr., St. Meinrad, IN 47577, or get up? Laundry to a state of being on the verge of or shopping? engaging with everything! We coax (812) 357-6817, fax (812) 357-6325 Janis Dopp or email [email protected] Exercise or ourselves out of that lethargy that marks www.saintmeinrad.org relaxation? Compassion or impatience? the first moments of wakefulness: the ©2019, Saint Meinrad Archabbey The list is endless and relentless. But, space between where we want to remain 2 unaware and the place where we become Scriptures rouse us when they say: It is OBLATES fully cognizant. high time for us to arise from sleep.” St. In their own words Benedict knew that, even in our waking It is the moment when the potential of hours, we can still be sound asleep. And the day that stretches out before us can his urgent words are there to remind us be hoodwinked by the desire to stay that there is no time to waste. under the covers where it is warm and dark and safe. And, what are we to do when we are awakened from our nonchalance? We are I find it interesting that the possibilities to “open our eyes to the light that comes of the daylight hours and what they can from God, and our ears to the voice from offer always win out for me. Awakening heaven that every day calls out this charge: to the day can be intoxicating. What will If you hear his voice today, do not harden happen that is totally unexpected? How your hearts.” With eyes and ears that are can I use the hours to create something open and a heart that is pliable and ready new? What choices will I confront and to respond to God’s voice, let’s wake up what will I choose? Will I stay awake all to all of life’s wonderful and challenging day or will I slip into a dull apathy? possibilities. Oblate Cathey Byers Bradenton, FL In his Prologue, St. Benedict says, “Let Janis Dopp us get up then, at long last, for the Oblate Director “What I have gotten from Saint Meinrad is beyond anything that I can even Musings from the Chaplain express. It was a gift that In some cultures, The cycle of death to life that has been awakened me to a deeper death is occurring for millions of years continues connection of Benedictine occasionally now. The world of nature gives to us spirituality and connected referred to as endless evidence that after death there will “sleep.” This seems be a great awakening. Of course, the me to the oblate community. to be a good greatest awakening was when Jesus Christ I began this way of life when analogy for the rose from the dead and abolished death for my life was in utter chaos plant world. When all of us. and through it found Fr. Joseph Cox, OSB a seed is planted, it is as if it is buried. We will follow Him in death, but we also friendships, stability, and a A hole (grave) is dug, and the seed is have the hope of resurrection to life. As St. relationship with God “interred.” The seed rests, sleeps, dies. Paul said to the Ephesians, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and through prayer that affects Eventually by what appears to be a Christ shall give you light.” All of us will every decision I make.” miracle, it awakens and comes to life.