Twenty-five years ago, I was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. An uncertain road lay ahead, with a prognosis of no more than five years to live and the possibility of a heart transplant. Yet, by the grace of God and the remarkable healing wisdom of the Cleveland Clinic, along with discovering Saint Meinrad Archabbey, I am still here, defying expectations and embracing life with hope. Thanks be to God!
The prophet Jeremiah says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).
My journey toward healing and hope deepened as I, a non-Catholic United Methodist clergyperson, found solace, strength, and hope in Benedictine spirituality. Through Lectio Divina, I experienced God’s healing power, and God guided my path to Saint Meinrad Archabbey and its welcoming oblate community. Introduced by a fellow United Methodist clergyperson who was also an oblate, I discovered a place where faith, hope, wisdom, and fellowship intertwined. For the past 12 years, I have been serving on the Oblate Council, eight of those years as chairperson—roles that have enriched my spirit and strengthened my discipleship as a follower of Jesus Christ. Despite the challenges of living with a chronic heart condition, my faith and hope in Christ remain steadfast, nurtured by my Benedictine oblate life at Saint Meinrad Archabbey.
The monks of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, the retreats, the wisdom they share, and the fellowship of other oblates have been a wellspring of hope for me. In moments of health struggles and life issues, their guidance has uplifted my spirit, reminding me that faith and community are powerful sources of renewal and hope.
As St. Benedict instructs in The Rule: “Listen readily to holy reading and devote yourself often to prayer ... Do not aspire to be called holy before you really are, but first be holy that you may more truly be called so. Live by God’s commandments every day. Never lose hope in God’s mercy” (Chapter 4, Tools for Good Works). The writer of Hebrews says, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).
Rev. Dr. William H. Wilson, Oblate, Huntington, WV