For our next formation weekend (which is actually just Saturday), we’ll be preaching for…The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. I am reliably informed that this is one the least-favorite days on which to deliver a homily. Fortunately for me, I saw the email about this when I was on retreat so I made some use of the monastery library and pulled a dozen or so sermon collections off the shelf to look some inspiration.
As it turns out, most - if not all - of the homilies I read covered the ground I was already considering, which is:
We really can’t get our heads around this, and it’s no use trying to make it easy. Here’s what we know, and here’s what to do with that knowledge…
In any case it’s nice to know that some of the pressure is off.
Our second homily on the weekend will be short-prep-time sort of thing, topic TBD. We’ll find out when we get there. As for the rest of the process, my final evaluation went well and we had a follow-on meeting to discuss the ins and outs of the assignment process. The main part of this was to give us a chance to discuss anything that they needed to be aware of beforehand - unfixable personality conflicts, insurmountable scheduling, and so on. We met with the vicar general and head of deacon personnel and they were both very gracious and attentive. I still have no idea where I’ll be sent, but I know now that I’m to consider the assignment “stable,” which is to say “we’re not sending you to X for a year before bringing you back to Y. We need for you to invest in the community, keep your eyes off the calendar, and bloom where you’re planted.”
Sounds good to me. I won’t be able to fully relax my brain on this until the question is answered, since it will deeply affect our lives from that point on, but it shouldn’t be much longer before they let us know. Until then: ora et labora.
Speaking of, the monks prayed the most beautiful confiteor as part of their Compline. The temptation has been strong to print it out and stick it in my breviary:
I confess to God Almighty,
To blessed Mary ever Virgin,
To blessed Michael the Archangel,
To blessed John the Baptist,
To the holy Apostles Peter and Paul,
To our blessed Father Benedict,
To all the Saints,
And to you,
Brethren,
That I have sinned exceedingly in thought, word, and deed:
By my fault,
By my own fault,
By my own most grievous fault.
Therefore I ask blessed Mary every Virgin,
Blessed Michael the Archangel,
Blessed John the Baptist,
The holy Apostles Peter and Paul,
our blessed Father Benedict,
All the Saints,
And you, brethren,
To pray for me to the Lord our God.