“To succeed in your intentions, entrust yourselves to the Blessed Virgin Mary always, but especially in moments of difficulty and darkness. ‘From Mary we learn to surrender to God’s will in things. From Mary we learn to trust even when all hope seems gone. From Mary we learn to love Christ, her Son and the Son of God…Learn from her to be always faithful, to trust that God’s Word to you will be fulfilled, and that nothing is impossible with God.’” (St. John Paul II)
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- GOOD FRIDAY: WHERE ARE YOU GOD?
- HOLY THURSDAY: RECALL OUR OWN FIRST COMMUNION WITH JOY AND THANKSGIVING
- WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK: INEXHAUSTIBLE TRUST IN GOD’S GOODNESS
- TUESDAY OF HOLY WEEK: WILL YOU LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE FOR ME?
- EVERYONE COMPETED IN CONTRIBUTING TO THE MAGNIFICENCE OF THE FEAST AND TO THE PUBLIC JOY
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- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate Associate on GOOD FRIDAY: WHERE ARE YOU GOD?
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate Associate on HOLY THURSDAY: RECALL OUR OWN FIRST COMMUNION WITH JOY AND THANKSGIVING
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate Associate on WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK: INEXHAUSTIBLE TRUST IN GOD’S GOODNESS
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate Associate on TUESDAY OF HOLY WEEK: WILL YOU LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE FOR ME?
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate Associate on EVERYONE COMPETED IN CONTRIBUTING TO THE MAGNIFICENCE OF THE FEAST AND TO THE PUBLIC JOY
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Many years ago I took a “break from church”. For about two years I would go to Church only for weddings or funerals or very special occasions. When finally I decided I wanted to return I asked Mary to accompany me, to take my hand so that I could enter with her and I would ask her to sit there with me.
And she did. As I look back I realise this was just before meeting the Oblates in a personal and life-changing way.
“From Mary we learn to surrender to God’s will in things.” Yes, yes I think but I also wonder if there might be small ways that I have held back and did not let go of. The tiny niggly little doubts that seem to rise from the darkest corners of our hearts. What might I be holding onto, just in case…
“Learn from her to be always faithful, to trust that God’s word to you will be fulfilled, and that nothing is impossible with God.” Yes, yes I tell myself – I know that. But, I stop and ask myself if I truly believe it. She’s seen it all, experienced it all…
I decide to let go of the little ‘what ifs’ – if I let them rule my life, I will surely shrivel up and die. But I want to live, fully… just as God promised when he said “Eleanor, I love you…”
This is one of those times when I must ‘walk the walk’. I choose to say yes to life, to say yes to Mary as she holds out her hand to us, to me…
“Two hundred years later we continue to reap the harvest…” I am not alone; I am a part of something so much greater than myself on so many levels. Holding on to Mary’s outstretched hand I take small, tentative little steps than will only grow more sure with the walking.
This Saturday I am struggling and hurting , I find myself wanting to withdraw into an empty darkness within which there is no life. Even though “St. Eugene Speaks…” is on a short pause I decided to do a search on the word ‘persevere” and found myself here with Mary our Mother persevering as Jesus hung on the cross.
I think of a suggestion that was sent to me by another which spoke of us laity drawing away from as the Feast Day of February 17th which is only for the congregation’s the priests (and brothers). For me it is unthinkable only because we get to share in the Mazenodian Charism which is incarnated within the OMI Constitutions and Rules.
I opened my small copy of the 2000 version of the CC&RR and looked to page 93 which is about the Spirit of Government and which speaks about “Authority as service… structures and mission, and finally “Core responsibility”. (C 71 – 73). While in the past I found this Part 3 of CC&RR to be arid and deemed only for the religious, this morning I recognized how beautiful it is and how I want to be like that in the ordinary of my daily life.
I can only give thanks to God and to Mary, along with all of the Oblate Associates who have opened have helped in reopening the eyes and ears of my heart once again…