Oblate Formation 
Posts concerning Oblate and Novice formation. These include articles which are also applicable to most Christians, whether Oblate or not. Additional articles on instruction of various parts of the Rule can be found under that category.
Everyday Christianity and the Spiritual Combat
For me, the real arena of spiritual combat is the everyday world. It occurred to me at my day job yesterday that it might in fact be sometimes easier to go and pray in secret than it is to live out the Christian calling in one’s everyday life in the world. When I close the… Read More ›
The biggest lies
The biggest lies are the ones you tell to yourself. Did you ever contemplate that? You lie to yourself that you’re ugly. You lie to yourself that you can’t succeed. You lie to yourself that no one can love you. You lie to yourself that you are being honest! Everyone does it. Everyone forgets that… Read More ›
Discernment must Extend to All Forms of Mysticism
We hear frequently about various apparitions and, though they may be helpful reminders of God’s concern for us, they cannot replace the daily struggle of conversion. Demetrious Dumm Cherish Christ Above All =================================== In 1 Thessalonians 5 we’re told, when it comes to mysticism (“prophetic utterance”), never to despise such, but we’re also told to… Read More ›
When things don’t go as planned….
If you seek God and work for Him in everything, without pause, the result will be miraculous. Translation: answer when he knocks. When we have failure, we have to investigate the reasons behind it. It could just be a test, or as I just said, God’s way of nudging us from something that really isn’t… Read More ›
Spiritual tips for the new (and any) year
VAIN is the man who puts his trust in men, in created things. Do not be ashamed to serve others for the love of Jesus Christ and to seem poor in this world. Do not be self-sufficient but place your trust in God. Do what lies in your power and God will aid your good… Read More ›
The ‘Small’ God Who Brought Heaven Down to Earth
Some years ago I found myself at a fashionable dinner party in Los Angeles where the lamb was roasted to perfection, and the deep, rich red Australian wine complimented it to a tee. The conversation around the dinner table was likewise high-minded and it did not take this largely secular gathering very long to turn… Read More ›
The Spirits Around Us: What are our access points?
We write about the spirits around us, and this is a time of the year important in that regard; there have been mystics who’ve said it’s on Christmas that the greatest number of souls are released. Apparently, like certain hours of the night, like three a.m., at Christmastime the veil seems to thin. Fortunately, more… Read More ›
The Benefits of Being Ordinary
Every hour of every day, we are persuaded that the benefits of being extraordinary in some way are equally extraordinary. This has two propaganda components: 1. If you buy this product or service (touted by An Extraordinary Person), you will feel the vicarious thrill of acting/looking like you’re extraordinary. 2. Our society is a meritocracy, blah… Read More ›
Thanksgiving Should Be a Verb
Sometimes it’s easier to think of all the bad things—bombings, murders, illness, misfortune—in the world than the good things. But we must realize that there are good things, even in difficult times, for which we can give thanks. For example, Anne Frank, the young girl whose diary put a face on the Holocaust, demonstrated her… Read More ›