Oak Grove Abbey News

Today we celebrate St. Ignatius, the founder of the Jesuits. He was born in Spain in 1491 (right about the time Columbus was seeking sponsorship to sail to the New World), the youngest of 13 siblings. Like most young men during that time, he became a page and eventually joined the Spanish army to fight against the French. This suited him well because he was quite a surly young fellow -- more interested in gambling, fighting, and women than anything else.

According to one website, a cannonball and a series of bad surgeries ended his military career. While recurperating, he requested "romance novels," however none were available. Instead he was given a book about the life of Christ and a book of saints. Ignatius was challenged by what he read and transformed.

For several years he tried to travel to Jerusalem to walk where Jesus had, but he was unsuccessful. (Fighting between the Christians & the Muslims prevented his journey -- guess some things haven't changed?!) At the age of 33, he decided to study for the priesthood. Since he didn't know Latin, he began studying with schoolchildren and eventually ended up at the university. Even though he wasn't a priest, he began teaching and was several times imprisoned by the Church because he wasn't yet "ordained."

Eventually he was ordained & ended up in Paris with 2 companions. They requested an audience with the pope himself and asked to found a new order, known as the "Society of Jesus" or Jesuits. They took the typical vows of poverty, chastity, & obedience, but they also added the notion of traveling whereever the Holy Father decided and performing whatever tasks were needed.

Throughout his life, the Jesuits grew from 8 to 1000 members. They became primarily known for their teaching and found it the best way to correct ignorance & corruption among the clergy.

Ignatius died today (7.31) in 1556.

Posted by Jolie at 1:23 PM | Permalink |

It appears that none of the Oaken dwellers will win any prolific blogging awards, as all of us feel increasingly uneasy about trying too hard to articulate thoughts in such an impersonal and quirky medium. Still, we want to keep this page fresh with updates on various feast days and happenings at the very least.

Last night Andy told us about Saint Anna, Jesus' grandmother, so I'm not going to rehash the same territory tonight -- even though the major feast is for the Parents of Our Lady. Instead, I'll throw the spotlight on Saint Paraskevi, a very brave female martyr from the year 140.

In other news, Jason and Tinamarie will be returning tonight from their odyssey up north. Andy and Angelic have headed to the beach with some friends for a few days. Oh, and Evan and co. should be putting the finishing touches on the extra wall they are building in order to more sufficiently sound-proof the garage / media / rehearsal room. Hopefully Tacks the Boy Disaster will be able to jam at night without disturbing the greater Abbey peace...

Posted by gdwill at 1:37 PM | Permalink |

*As an inseparable part of our devotion to God, we commit to a life of Jubilee.

Jubilee refers to the sounding of the Shofar ram’s horn to announce the year of freedom and celebration every 50th year. Jesus life, death and resurrection inaugurated the Age of Jubilee and exemplifies Psalm 35:27, which says Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication; And let them say continually, "The LORD be magnified, Who delights in the prosperity of His servant.”

We will proclaim enthusiastically the good news of the Kingdom of God!
We will refuse to accept the world of doubt, despair, debt and sin as the reigning end reality of human existence. Instead, we will stand with the prophets of old who dared to imagine the world with the end in sight.
We will take hope and joy in today by finding answers to this day's problems in the life of Jesus who incarnated a hope-filled future.
We will sing Christ's message of love, reconciliation, and peace as the unifying communal song of celebration.
We will embrace all that is good in a spirit of feasting and enjoyment of life.
We will partake regularly in the Eucharist as the profound symbolic action of being nourished by the body and blood of Christ.
We will look to the Resurrection of Jesus as the victorious source of passion, purity, and justice that fuels the Jubilant Spirit of our every action towards all Creation!


I bind to myself this day and for all my days a vow of Jubilee.
Upon these four legs I will stand, and rest, and feast.

ALL: May God preserve and empower you according to His pleasure.

Vower: In the Presence of the Sacred Trinity and Christ's flock, I take these vows asking:
Hearer: In the Presence of the Sacred Trinity and Christ's flock, we accept these vows asking:

Whenever you are as certain about something as I am go forward with me;
Whenever you hesitate, seek with me;
Whenever you discover that you have gone wrong come back to me;
or if I have gone wrong, call me back to you.
In this way we will travel along the street of love together as we make our way toward him of whom it is said, 'seek his face always.'
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Posted by gdwill at 7:37 AM | Permalink |

Jolie read online today that 7-11 was giving away free slurpees in a commemorative cup to celebrate their 79th birthday. Gleefully, we drove the block to "get ours." Alas, most of the flavors were out of order, and the "cup" was made of paper and 7.11 ounces in volume (not much, in other words). Nevertheless, the five free mouthfuls were appreciated.

In a bit of a contrast, however, today also marks the feast day of Saint Benedict of Nursia. With a bit more staying power than a slurpee, we can claim a great deal from the legacy and vision of this humble lay person. When I place my cup under his Rule, I regularly find wisdom and inspiration that resonates backwards towards the Scriptures and forwards to my own desires for Spirit-breathed community.

I often hear Protestant-descended Evangelicals easily brushing Benedict off, saying that he was an unfortunate, well-intentioned Catholic with a pitiful fear of hell and a zealous desire to earn his salvation. To this I can't help but wander how glibly "Evangelicalism" or even Protestantism will be dismissed 1500 years from now by Christians in a completely different context. Further, I can't help but see a bit of inconsistency here, too. Benedict's blueprint for monasticism had all the ingredients for "reformation," without the ugliness of the "protestation!" Here was a man, driven by any number of complex motivations that can neither negate or explain him entirely, who was able to articulate a concrete way to live faithfully to the way laid out by Jesus Himself in an era that was particularly known for it's lack of articulation and coherence. The historical fact that thousands of people continue to align themselves with his Rule not only magnifies the brilliance of his articulation, but more sadly, the continued lack of coherence and concreteness present within Christendom. Why do we continue to waste away about "how to do church" and "go to the nations" when we still have such a half-assed formulation of practical Christian living? That's the kind of question that drove Benedict to draft his form of monasticism, and in his honor, that's the kind of question that drives me on the highway that he did much to pave.

I raise my 7.11 ounce cup to you, Benedict of Nursia.
And I also give an e-shout out to Anthony, a newly consecrated Benedictine. Pray and work, brother A.
Pax.

Posted by gdwill at 2:11 PM | Permalink |

Today is Jason's Bday, so it seems appropriate to disclose the next portion of the Oaken Oath on this day, seeing as how he took the lead on the penning of this section:


*As an inseparable part of our devotion to God, we commit to a life of Shalom.

Shalom means “peace be unto you.” Jesus promised this peace in John 14:27, saying Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

We dedicate ourselves to the pursuit of peace, both inward and outward. We will cultivate peace within our own minds and hearts by submitting to God our fears, our judgments and our need to be right. We will cultivate peace in word and in action by speaking of others with integrity and love and by forgiving others as we have been forgiven. We will cultivate compassion by choosing to see the face of Christ in both friends and adversaries.
We dedicate ourselves to a life which expresses the importance of rest, solitude, and participation in the Seventh Day so that we may, as Christ did, listen deeply and apart from distraction to the voice of God.
We dedicate ourselves to a hospitable life in which we will welcome every person as Christ himself.
We dedicate ourselves to a life of healing and reconciliation by working at a local level for visible social change and being a voice for justice among the oppressed.
We dedicate ourselves to a life that reflects our love and gratitude for God's creation by acknowledging that we live on a planet where resources are limited and by making responsible choices with what God has entrusted to us.
We dedicate ourselves to bringing about physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being to those with whom we come into contact by taking on the responsibility of intercessory prayer.


I bind to myself this day and for all my days a vow of Shalom.

ALL: May God preserve and empower you according to His pleasure.

Posted by gdwill at 6:46 AM | Permalink |

Saturday night was the big CD release concert for Tacks, the Boy Disaster -- that's the band Jason and Evan (and Nathan and Elan, too, for that matter) put together some many months ago. All their digence is starting to pay off in the form of a growing local following and global interest. I was pretty tired at their big show last weekend, seeing as how I'd just coached a new human into the world. So don't take my word for it. Check out this review from the latest Austin Chronicle.

Posted by gdwill at 6:54 PM | Permalink |

Jolie, Camden and I were blessed to host our regular Abbey gathering in Room 751 of the hospital this past Sunday night. Although several community members were out of town, those present gave us a cherished moment. Along with the reading of some impromptu birth-related Scriptures, we sang "Happy Birthday" to Camden and took Communion. Afterwards, the lads "wet the head" of the newborn (possibly my new favorite British expression).

Posted by gdwill at 8:05 PM | Permalink |

Oak Grove Abbey welcomed Camden Lawson Willis today at 12:30 pm.

Camden's stats:

Length : 20 inches
Weight: 7 pounds
Skin tone: Pinkish red with purple feet
Eye color: Blue

We are all extremely excited to have a new addition to the house!!

Posted by Angelic at 4:11 PM | Permalink |