Third Year of the Oblate Triennium:Mission, Vow of Obedience and Evangelii Gaudium

1. OBLATE MADONNA: MOTHER AND MODEL OF OUR MISSION

SETTING: We celebrate this encounter, around the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The animator arranges the ambience so that all may be comfortably seated to facilitate prayer and sharing. A candle, our Constitutions, an Oblate Cross and a photo or statue of the Oblate Madonna may be placed in the center.

MOTIVATION: We remember Mary, our Mother, imploring her to accompany us during this third year of the Oblate Triennium. She is our model in our mission with the poor; our model in our vow of obedience. May we learn from her how to be obedient to the Spirit as we “proclaim Christ and his Kingdom to the most abandoned.”(C5) Inspired by the Virgin Mary, we read Constitution # 25: “By obedience, we become the servants of all.”

SONG: (Choose a Marian hymn)

PRAYER: Using the words of the Annunciation we ask Mary to open our hearts to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit as we start the third year of the Oblate Triennium and get ready for our General Chapter: Hail, Mary, full of grace…

THE WORD OF GOD : Lk 1: 26-27, 30-31, 34-35, 37-38In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.” And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore

the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. For with God nothing will be impossible." And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD : The MagnificatMy soul glorifies the Lord, *my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior.He looks on his servant in her lowliness; *henceforth all ages will call me blessed.The Almighty works marvels for me. *Holy his name! His mercy is from age to age, *on those who fear him.He puts forth his arm in strength *and scatters the proud-hearted. He casts the mighty from their thrones *and raises the lowly.He fills the starving with good things, *sends the rich away empty.He protects Israel, his servant, *remembering his mercy,The mercy promised to our fathers, *to Abraham and his sons forever.

OBLATE TEXT : Dictionary of Oblate Values

Mary in our apostolateEugene saw in Mary the one who desired above all the glory of the Son "and the conversion of souls which he redeemed at the price of his precious blood". [89] Consequently, he is convinced that our first duty consists in helping her to fulfill his wishes. [90] In the course of parish missions, even though Mary was always present, she did not hold center stage. She was the mother and companion of the missionaries and along with them strove to lead souls to Christ. (DOV. Mary, V,#3, The Apostolate, P. 537. Casimir Lubowicki)

The Superiors General and the Virgin MaryFather Jetté invites us to foster “three attitudes to be developed in the future, attitudes which are in harmony with our spirit as well as our history:- First of all, Mary must be the model of our faith and or our commitment to the service of God;- She should be for us the path which enables us to advance ever more deeply into the mystery of Jesus;- She must be for us a friend, a genuine companion in our life as missionaries.” (DOV. Mary. VII, P. 543. Yvon Beaudoin)

GOING DEEPER INTO THE THEME :

Mary, our Mother and Model in our Founder

It is good and just to recognize that from our very beginnings Mary has been present in our Oblate history. Our Founder had a very special devotion to Mary and today we are the inheritors of this devotion. Our oblate Prayer Book on page 35 reminds us clearly of this: “From the beginning of the Congregation, Oblates have been urged to live their day in union with Mary Immaculate, our Mother, who is “the model and guardian of our consecrated life” (C. 13).”

While in Venice Eugene adopted the following pious personal practice: “I will also turn towards the image of Mary and I will humbly beg her maternal blessing in these words of Saint Stanislaus: Mater vera Salvatoris, Mater adoptata peccatoris, in gremio maternae tuae pietatis, claude me. Then, I will take some holy water; I will kiss my crucifix with respect in the place of the wounds and of the heart, and the hand of Mother Mary." (DOV, Mary, Casimir Lubowicki, p.529)

The young Father De Mazenod gives us a very good pastoral example on how to do our Oblate mission with youth in relation to an authentic devotion to Mary, based on a true love of Mary: “Eugene got his young people in the habit of seeing in Mary the Mother of Jesus and "ours as well", a mother filled with tenderness, who in virtue of this title desires "to cooperate in [our] salvation". In the Association, "public declaration was made to honor and love" Mary with "unbounded filial tenderness". There is a clear idea of what love is: the trust that leads to a total surrender of oneself into the hands of the person who is loved. That is why it states that the association members "openly declare the most complete devotion [to Mary]". (DOV, Mary, Casimir Lubowicki, p. 532)

And to guide us in our pastoral ministry, celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation, our Founder left us his special devotion to Mary under the title ‘Mother of Mercy’”. (Oblate Prayer Book, p. 35) The Founder wrote to Father Tempier from Rome, March 20,1826: “Let us strive to be worthy… let us merit to see the plans of God’s mercy accomplished in favor of the Congregation and of the poor.” (Selected Texts, nº 139 p. 167)

Mary, our Mother and Model in Evangelii Gaudium

First of all Pope Francis, like St. Eugene, invites us to look up to Jesus as model in our mission: “Jesus himself is the model of this method of evangelization which brings us to the very heart of his people. How good it is for us to contemplate the closeness which he shows to everyone! If he speaks to someone, he looks into their eyes with deep love and concern: “Jesus, looking upon him, loved him” (Mk 10:21). We see how accessible he is, as he draws near the blind man (cf. Mk 10:46-

52) and eats and drinks with sinners (cf. Mk 2:16) without worrying about being thought a glutton and a drunkard himself (cf. Mt 11:19). We see his sensitivity in allowing a sinful woman to anoint his feet (cf. Lk 7:36-50) and in receiving Nicodemus by night (cf. Jn 3:1-15).

Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is nothing else than the culmination of the way he lived his entire life. Moved by his example, we want to enter fully into the fabric of society, sharing the lives of all, listening to their concerns, helping them materially and spiritually in their needs, rejoicing with those who rejoice, weeping with those who weep; arm in arm with others, we are committed to building a new world.” EG, 269

Then the Pope refers to Mary as model:In our evangelization: “Whenever we look to Mary, we come to believe once again in the revolutionary nature of love and tenderness. In her we see that humility and tenderness are not virtues of the weak but of the strong who need not treat others poorly in order to feel important themselves.” EG 288

Pope Francis continues to insist that we look to Mary our Model: In our discernment: “Mary is able to recognize the traces of God’s Spirit in events great and small. She constantly contemplates the mystery of God in our world, in human history and in our daily lives.” EG 288

In our prayer: “She is the woman of prayer and work in Nazareth…” EG 288

In our pastoral service: “She is also Our Lady of Help, who sets out from her town “with haste” (Lk 1:39) to be of service to others.” EG 288

In this world of global migration: “(Her)… interplay of justice and tenderness, of contemplation and concern for others, is what makes the ecclesial community look to Mary as a model of evangelization. We implore her maternal intercession that the Church may become a home for many peoples, a mother for all peoples, and that the way may be opened to the birth of a new world.” EG 288

In our hope of the kingdom: With Mary we advance confidently towards the fulfillment of this promise, and to her we pray: Mary, Virgin and Mother, you who, moved by the Holy Spirit… help us to say our own “yes”… EG 288

St. Eugene, in reference to the end of our earthly journey, reminds us: “Let us renew ourselves especially in devotion to the most holy Virgin and render ourselves worthy to be Oblates of the Immaculate Mary. But this is a passport to heaven!... The oblates of Mary! This name satisfies the heart and the ear.” (Selected Texts, 99 p. 120. To Father Tempier, December

22-24, 1825) (Gilberto Piñón Gaytán, omi – General House)

TIME FOR SILENT REFLECTION : What do I learn from Mary’s obedience?

SHARING OUR FAITH :The animator invites all to share their reflection and discuss these questions:

- How have you experienced Mary as Mother and Model in your missionary pastoral activities?

- How has the popular Marian devotion of the people influenced your own?- Share your personal devotion to Mary, e.g., did you have a special devotion of Marian

spirituality in your youth?

COMMITMENT:We are preparing for the 200 year anniversary of Foundation and the General Chapter, discerning how we can grow, change, be transformed to be better Oblate Missionaries with the help of Mary. We are in the process of discerning what concrete gesture in the life of our community would be a sign of our conversion.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING AND INTENTIONS :Based on our personal reflections, each one shares his prayer of petition and thanksgiving in the group

FINAL PRAYER: We pray together Pope Francis’ prayer to Mary: Star of the new evangelization.

Mary, Virgin and Mother, you who, moved by the Holy Spirit, welcomed the word of life in the depths of your humble faith: as you gave yourself completely to the Eternal One, help us to say our own “yes” to the urgent call, as pressing as ever, to proclaim the good news of Jesus.

Filled with Christ’s presence, you brought joy to John the Baptist, making him exult in the womb of his mother. Brimming over with joy, you sang of the great things done by God. Standing at the foot of the cross with unyielding faith, you received the joyful comfort of the resurrection, and joined the disciples in awaiting the Spirit so that the evangelizing Church might be born.

Obtain for us now a new ardour born of the resurrection that we may bring to all the Gospel of life which triumphs over death. Give us a holy courage to seek new paths, that the gift of unfading beauty may reach every man and woman.

Virgin of listening and contemplation, Mother of love, Bride of the eternal wedding feast, pray for the Church, whose pure icon you are, that she may never be closed in on herself or lose her passion for establishing God’s kingdom.

Star of the new evangelization, help us to bear radiant witness to communion, service, ardent and generous faith, justice and love of the poor, that the joy of the Gospel may reach to the ends of the earth, illuminating even the fringes of our world.

Mother of the living Gospel, wellspring of happiness for God’s little ones, pray for us.Amen. Alleluia! (Evangelii Gaudium 288)

BLESSING AND SONG :The animator asks an Oblate present to pray a blessing over the group and then a final song may be sung.