I intended to reply when I had time to devote to a good answer but lost the thread. I since learned that you do not have regular monthly meetings at your monastery with other oblates, which is tough when you are in formation. Can you at least meet regularly with the sisters who are directing you? sounds like you need more help and support than you are getting. you say there is another nearby monastery, can you join their meetings sometimes?
Recollection means re-collecting our thoughts, concerns, priorities from the demands of the world and placing them in God’s hands. It is a time of re-ordering our time, commitments, priorities and reminding ourselves to put God first above all else. It is also a time of reviewing our fidelity in our duty to God: Mass, sacraments, prayer and scripture reading, and to living fully our moral life in Christ.
Concerns are time, place, attitude and preparation. Take a personal day off work, hire a babysitter or caregiver for elderly, whatever it takes.
Give yourself a full day, no cell phones, no distractions, in a place where nobody can get at you, preferably not at home, where all kinds of interruptions will occur. The monastery should be great for this. Can you stay overnight? Look for a place where you can walk around outside, find a place to sit and read and meditate, state or county parks might be almost empty on weekdays this time of year.
do not bring anything with you that does not directly relate to the purpose of the day, and be very sparing with that - bible, rosary, LOTH, journal, pen, water bottle, sack lunch, energy snacks very light, meds if needed. Avoid the temptation to load up with spiritual reading, for today this is all you need. If you have been given a copy of the promises you will make at your oblation bring that too. Also instructions for lectio (brief, one page if they gave it to you. If you need this, PM me.
Go to Mass in the morning before you leave, or at the monastery, and work confession into the schedule if at all possible. Use the first part of the morning after morning prayer for examination of conscience. If you can’t confess today, go at the earliest opportunity. Pray to the Holy Spirit for enlightenment and plan the rest of the day.
If you are at a place with an Adoration Chapel or at least a grotto with Mary or Sacred Heart, do your sacred reading there. Try to spend a full hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament in the middle of the afternoon with no reading, no prayer, just silence in His presence. If you have no time for any of the other suggestions, do this one thing.
Plan on walking and praying the entire rosary.
Plan on walking praying the stations of the cross, with a printed guide if there are not actual stations.
Plan on an hour (longer than usual) for lectio on 3 topics:
1- daily or Sunday scripture readings
2 - the promise you will make at your oblation, in Paul, as soon as I find cite I will post it:
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me
3 - the passion (Mark 15, the shortest)
If your director suggests something else, go with it. don’t worry if you don’t do all 3 readings, or all I suggest. After each of these exercises, allow one full hour for meditation, contemplation, mental prayer, either walking or relaxing. Allow a good lunch break and a couple of snack breaks where you do nothing but eat, enjoy your food, and listen to the birds. Resist the temptation to bring CDs and CD player, or to check your phone messages.
The quiet time between these exercises is the actual recollection, do not shortchange it or let go of it. Stop someplace nice on the way home for a leisurely dinner of good, light food. You will be extraordinarily tired from doing “nothing” so better not drink wine unless you plan to stay overnight (a great idea if you can swing it)
. I was hoping to learn from you!
