Conversation about Oblate Community

This last week my fellow Oblates amazed and encouraged me with a flurry of e-mails, several comments here, and some poll responses.  You Oblates have been generous, positive, honest, so open, and deeply thoughtful.  I value your insights and experience about building Ecumenical Benedictine Oblate community.  Your personal interests and preferences give worthwhile perspective.  You also offered invaluable knowledge about the technical and learning-style sides of this experiment. 

Thank You!!! 

There will be lots more follow-up work to do on all those comments and suggestions.

For today I begin here with  'a first tickler question.' This is for any and all who want to comment. 

 "What elements do you think are necessary to positive Ecumenical Benedictine community?"

Benedictus/ Song of Zachariah

16
The Song of Zechariah
Benedictus Dominus Deus

Luke 1: 68-79
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior, *
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets
he promised of old,
that he would save us from our enemies,*
from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham,*
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,

Free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
To give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,

To shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

(The Book of Common Prayer
Copyright The Episcopal Church USA)

About the Tradition of the Benedictus

The Benedictus, taken from Luke 1:68-79, is Zachariah’s prayer of praise at the arrival of his child.  (Zachariah is the father of John the Baptist.) 

Traditionally Benedictines pray this every day in Morning Prayer (or Lauds).  In some mysterious way, praying Zachariah's prayer allows people to join in the praise, and the commitments, between God and those who prepared the way for Jesus.

This daily reminder is part of the rhythm of prayer and work in Benedictine monastic life.  Praying the Benedictus calls Benedictine souls to timeless principles of faith.  It connects each one of us to Benedictine community around the world, and through out the past 1500 years.

In praying the Benedictus, I know that I am traveling with others who have been called to this path for more than 1500 years.  Whether I chant, or simply recite the Benedictus, I know that I am in community, even when I pray all by myself. 

My Own Experience of the Benedictus . . . . (or Song of Zachariah)

Early one Sunday morning, I found myself, a mid-western wife, with three Benedictine sisters and a priest.  We were in a small monastery chapel, praying a Morning Prayer service, which included the Benedictus (or Song of Zachariah).  The realization that I made in those moments has reshaped my life.

I am filled with gratitude for that ordinary Sunday morning.  That morning I realized that the Benedictus is not only a beautiful ancient prayer of faithful praise.  It has become my own prayerful call to live in the community of faith.  This is a call shared by the larger Benedictine community.  It describes faith in God as faith has been expressed since before the birth of Christ.  

The words of the Benedictus, and the act of praying them, continually call me back to community, and to the Rule of Benedict.  It serves both as my call to remember, and as my call to actively choose my life of faith, today.

---------------------------------------

One Version of the Benedictus

Benedictus

"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,

because he has come and redeemed his people.

He has raised up a horn of salvation for us

in the house of his servant David,

as he said through his holy prophets of long ago,

salvation from our enemies

and from the hand of all who hate us----

to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember his holy covenant,

the oath he swore to our father Abraham:

to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,

and to enable us to serve him without fear

in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;

for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,

to give his people the knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins,

because of the tender mercy of our God,

by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven

to shine on those living in darkness

and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the path of peace."

Glory be to our Creator

To our Redeemer Jesus Christ

And to the Spirit of Life,

who dwells in our midst now and forever. Amen

(Luke 1:68-79 quoted from NIV-UK)

Easter Morning.

He is risen!  

He is alive!

Alleluia!

Alleluia!

Alleluia!

Welcome the Easter Season of celebration with songs and rejoicing.

Public Vs. Private, Or "Both And" in Benedictine Community

John commented on the question of 'public or private blog'. He called us to 'the greater good' that comes from providing public access to the Benedictine resources on this particular blog. 

(For more detail you can read his comment below "Testing the Blog Concept for Benedictine Community.") Thanks for weighing in John!

John's thoughtful comment reminded me of the important concept of "Both And."  One place that I see this in the Rule of Benedict is in reference to food. (See the Side Bar Link to RB Organized by Chapter and then select Chapter 39.)

The monastery is called to practice stewardship, and to offer hospitality.  

So the rule directs them to provide two cooked dishes at each table.  'Both And.'  No banquet spread is laid out, but monks and guests are offered a choice. 

Perhaps that concept applies to blogs and nurturing Benedictine Community as well.  It strikes me that Benedict never encouraged a 'one size fits all' approach.

 I started out hoping that it might be possible to create something that a few Oblates could use for conversation in the months between our oblate retreats.

 I am surprised by the number of blog visitors who aren't from my own oblate community.   This possibility did not occur to me when I began testing the technology. 

Yet that larger community interest does not erase the need for Oblates to communicate in a safe place.  Not all communication is appropriate in public.  And the basic set up of the technology is easier and faster than I expected. This opens the possibility of creating more than one blog space.   

So what would be helpful to nurture both the larger Benedictine Community,  and provide confidential space for deepening Oblate community?

The main advantages that I see in blogs are that we can share the same conversations, and ideas, without having to be either in the same geographic location, or on the same time schedule. This can serve all and broaden our sense of connectedness.  In addition any blog can be limited to allow access by a prescribed list of participants. This can create a private space and serve to deepen community. 

Here we need to be sensitive to the balance of providing confidentiality, which feeds, and is essential to deep community connections; while we maintain openness and inclusiveness, which broadens and refreshes community.

The need for different kinds of communication leads me to consider more than one type of  blog.  A blog (or blogs) could be designed for a specifically defined purpose, such as small group study, prayer for care and concern requests, 

Lectio Divina, or conversations about a specific Benedictine value.

This might be a blog that we each "sign-up for."   In this type of blog limited access allows participants to know exactly who can see their entries. We are on the list and we have a copy of the list.

 

A "sign-up blog" could be structured for participation over a set period of time.  

Or could be developed as an ongoing reference to a given topic of interest left in play for a longer term. (Which of these do you think would be beneficial? And why?) 

 

Now the challenge becomes focus and stewardship.  Where do we begin?  

My time probably allows me to maintain this blog,  plus setting up one or two "sign-up blogs" in the next few months.

The Rule calls for counsel in Chapter 3.

It is written, "Do everything with counsel, and you will not repent when you have done it" (Eccles. 32:24)..  

So I invite your counsel.   

• What is your response to this whole thought process?
• Which options do you think are most important to you, as we begin? 
• How would you most like to participate? 
• What two topics / ideas seem to call to you?  
  
• What discussions are you longing to have?  
  
• How are you thirsting to pray in community?  
  
• When/How do you most want to connect with other Benedictine Oblates?  
  
• What is most essential to you?
  
• What do you think (or feel) about any of the suggestions above?  

I am eager to hear which options and/or questions energize your hopes for participation in Benedictine Community.