After Praise [which included our celebration of Pam McElwee’s oblation – we were happy to meet her sister, Arlene, and the rest of her family and friends], Mass and a wonderful Brunch, the Oblates affiliated with St. Gertrude Monastery in Ridgely, MD gathered in the community room for their fifth meeting of the 2008/2009 session.
What does being an oblate mean to me? Think about it. If you would like to share with the group, just let Marge or Cynthia know. Mary Trumbauer shared at our December meeting and Carol Russell and Cynthia Ingram will share at our February meeting. We would like to continue our sharing at each meeting.
In this first meeting of the New Year may your year be peace filled and hopefully you had a joyful holiday!
Liturgy of the Hours & Lectio – after today we will be in Week 1 of Ordinary Time, use Antiphon 1 now and we are in Cycle “B” for 2009. Books are available for everyone, if you missed the meeting today; contact Sister Roni to set up a time to pick up your Liturgy of the Hours books. Sister Roni will give instruction and conduct practice both for the Liturgy of the Hours and Lectio at our February meeting. This will be informative for those who want to learn as well as for those who are looking for a refresher course.
Rule for the Day - MaryAnn Palmer read our Rule for the day – Qualities of the Abbot or Prioress - Sister Joan Chittester’s commentary noted that the Prioress should lead by example. What we do not live, we cannot require. We cannot hold others to a law which we will not follow. The function of spirit leadership is to show the beauty of those that follow.
Prayers – John Ringewald is responding to his medication; however he and Maryann still welcome your prayers for continued recovery and peace of mind. Trudy Dean is still experiencing pain with her arm. It was mentioned that Virginia Parkerson bequeathed a carving to be displayed for our meetings. It should arrive soon.
Summer Retreat – The summer retreat has been scheduled for June 19 - 21, 2009, Sister Denise from St. Benedict Monastery in Bristow , VA Berg Center
Mary Trumbauer conducted a mini-retreat on PEACE today and gave us two things to remember and two things to do:
Remember – 1) God is Love, and 2) You are God’s gift to this world and this community
To Do – 1) Be who you are, whoever that is, and 2) Do it with love and with joy
Then she showed a video FOR THE LOVE OF IT by DeWitt Jones – he discussed vocation (what you do) and avocation (what you can’t help but do). Do what you love and love what you do. How do we work just for the love of it? As a stone mason would we just chip stone or would we build cathedrals? Find a new way to look at the job you have. Begin each day with a full cup (Passion). Write down five things that fill your cup and after each one write the date of the last time you did it. Find guides, those in love with life and what they do. He showed many photographs he had taken and said to remember it’s the light in the photos, the people who love what they do. If the light is not there in a picture, you can add it with a strobe light. So find those people who add to the light. Act “as if”. And remember the factor that most determines your happiness is gratitude.
At this point, Mary stopped the video and Bill Stott showed us an illumination of the Book of Mark frontispiece from the St. John’s
The video concluded with the words, “Sometimes we try too hard to make a difference, just make a contribution. The bird sings, not because it has an answer, but because it has a song.” “When you love what you do, pass it on. Fall in love with what you do, today, and in everything you do, do it just for the love of it!”
Our next meeting is Sunday, February 8, 2009.
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