Repetition for Mastery
In an address to the early Oblates, on December 12, 1894, Oblate Founder Blessed Louis Brisson shared his dismay at the news that several seminarians from the Diocese of Troyes who had chosen to go to Paris for ordination spent more time organizing and celebrating their post-ordination dinner and visiting places of interest in the capital city than they did in properly preparing for and celebrating their ordination itself.
In light of that, Father Brisson then directed that once a year the Ritual for Ordination was to be read aloud in the refectory during the meal.
Author Samuel Rodenhizer says, “If you want to remember something permanently, you must engage in lots of repetition…If you want to become accomplished at a skill, then you must devote yourself to repeating the activity over and over until you master it…If you want to make an activity so familiar that it becomes a habit requiring little further thought - then commit yourself to the repetition that yields retention.”
Oblates and Visitation Nuns around the world rejoice on the day of their Profession of Vows by publicly, aloud, pronouncing them again on the Feast of the Presentation of Mary on November 21. The Oblates are also encouraged to renew their vows silently at Communion time on the first day of every month. Every Easter Sunday all of us are invited to renew our baptismal vows aloud after the homily.
As wonderful as the day of Profession of Vows or Ordination or Marriage is, the emotion of the moment can cover the importance of the event. My parents lived long enough to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary with a simple but loving public renewal of vows at Mass. After the Mass, my mother said to me how much she appreciated the renewal. She said, “You know the day your father and I were married I had so much going through my head I don’t even remember exactly what I said!”
While we draw up a final list of resolutions for the New Year you may want to check the dates and put on your new calendar the date of your Baptism, your First Holy Communion, your Wedding, Profession of Vows or Consecration anniversary and similar very special days in your life. And, on that day renew again for the year to come the commitment made through these very special events in your life. That way, regardless of the “external” celebrations, or lack thereof that may take place, the true nature of these special moments in your life may never be forgotten or misplaced.
Father David Whalen, OSFS
St. Pius X Parish
Toledo, OH
