Oblates and Oblate novices are invited to submit any comments either on-line or in writing. It is encouraged to submitted comments on-line since other Oblates would have a chance to reflect on what is posted. Letters should be sent to Director of Oblates, Belmont Abbey, 100 Belmont-Mt. Holly Road, Belmont, NC 28012. In the March meeting the comments will be presented. The final outline will be submitted to Abbot Placid for his approval.

Oblates Foster a Spirit of Community

• Oblates are committed to their monastery, its values, culture and its prayer;
• The oblates pray for the monastery, the monastic community and the other oblates;
• Oblates attend the oblate meetings on a regular basis.

Oblates Strive for Their Own Continued Christian Renewal and Improvement: Oblates are persons whose lives are shaped by Benedictine spirituality.

• They follow the Rule of St. Benedict in their daily lives as far as their vocation in life permits;
• Oblates commit to a two year period of formation following a course of study approved by the Abbot;
• Attend at least one retreat or day of recollection once a year (see RB 49:1-3).

Oblates Strive to Be Men and Women of Practical Spirituality and to keep the spirit of St. Benedict alive by the way in which they live. They study and read the Rule of St. Benedict, the writings of St. John Cassian, St. Basil, or the writings of the Desert Fathers and Mothers at least weekly and try to apply the passages to one's daily life; these should be read as lectio divina and studied with the help of a commentary or at meetings with one's fellow Oblates (See RB 48:10-16, 22; RB 73).

Oblates Strive to Be Men and Women of Prayer. Oblates should:

• pray the Liturgy of the Hours, especially Morning and/or Evening Prayer, as the duties of their vocation in life permit; (see RB 19:1-2);
• practice lectio divina daily, primarily using the Scriptures (see  RB 48:10-16, 22).

Oblates Strive to Be Loyal and Active Members of Christ and His Church and to live as Men and Women of Christian Virtue and of Peace: Oblates are representatives of the monastery "in the world." As such they should commit to fulfilling one or more of the following at least once a year:

• contributing in a significant way to a project that improves the natural environment for one's community or parish (see RB 31:10-12);
• participating actively in a movement that works for peace and justice in one's local community, one's country, or the world (see RB Prol:14-17);
• undertaking in a specific and regular way one of the spiritual or corporal works of mercy:  instructing and advising in the ways of faith, consoling, comforting, forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently; feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, burying the dead (see Mt 25:31-46; RB 31:9, 4:14-19);
• helping to build up one's parish family or civic community by concrete, regular involvement in a parish  or community project (see RB 58:24- 25).

It is better sometimes to forego our rights and privileges than to lead others into sin. Moreover, if we ever hope to be successful in life, we must always expect and be willing to do more than we are required to do. He that aims only at the strict requirements of the law will often come short of the law; he whose standards are low will be likely often to fall below those standards.

Charles J. Callan, OP and John F. McConnell, MM
from Spiritual Riches of the Rosary Mysteries, pp. 42-43

People should not be punished because we don’t like them, or because they belong to some group or religion. To love our neighbor as ourselves takes the ability to see deeply into our souls and not flinch at what we see. Self knowledge cancels the need to project our pain, darkness and whatever else we dislike about ourselves onto others. When it happens to us, hopefully we can empathize with those who hate or dislike us. This is not easy, but the more this is accomplished the freer we become and the less we cause suffering to others and also we can become free from the pain that others can cause us.

Br. Mark Dohle, OSCO

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him. Mark 1: 14-20 (NAB)

According to Mark, the very first thing Jesus says in his public ministry is "Repent. Turn back. Do a complete about-face. Change your way of life. Believe in the good news." Immediately he chooses his first disciples, and offers them a mission. "Come after me," he says, "and I will make you fishers of people, rather than fish." Again, you see, repentance and mission.

As is always the case, Jesus's invitation in the gospel this morning is not just to that handful of disciples. Rather, Jesus invites each one of us to have a radical change of heart; to do an about-face; to pledge our entire lives to believing in the good news, which is nothing less than Jesus himself. Each of us is also invited to become a fisher, and to fish for human souls.

Any person who fishes seriously can tell you that if you want to catch a fish, you have to go where the fish are, and you have to offer them something that looks good to them. So also when we fish for other people: we have to go where they are, and we have to offer them something that looks good to them; that is to say, the good news of salvation. But this means that there will be times when we have to leave our comfort zone if we are to be effective fishers.

Another lesson we might learn from those who fish for a living is to work without judging the worthiness of others. Jonah didn't think the Ninevites were worthy of being spared by God. We, too, especially these days, tend to classify people into "us" and "them" categories. But there is no sign at the end of a fishing line that says, "Good fish only." Nor can we as disciples discriminate or judge as we go out to the world to spread the good news. God wants ALL people to be saved, not just the ones we think deserve it. For all we know, WE may be the ones who don't deserve it.

One last thought. If the people in Jerusalem turned a deaf ear to the preaching of Isaiah and Jeremiah, if Jesus's fellow citizens turned a deaf ear to his good news, it goes without saying that there will be plenty of people who turn a deaf ear to our attempts to spread that same good news. But that doesn't mean that we don't have to try. We may be wildly successful, as Jonah was, or we may seem to fail miserably as did other prophets. It is still our task to preach the good news, both in words and in the way we live. God will take care of the rest.

Fr. David Brown, OSB
Belmont Abbey, North Carolina
January 22, 2012

Br. Mark Dohle, OSCO