We would like to share this thoughtful passage by Father François Varillon, S.J., from our prayer led by the France/Switzerland Region.
The Transition to Freedom
Let us just ask: do you believe that Christ is risen?
Since you are Christians, you will answer me: “Yes, of course.”
St. Paul tells us that “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is useless, and so is your faith’ (1 Co 15: 14).
If Christ is risen, is he alive? You have no choice but to answer, “Yes. Saying that he is risen, is affirming that he is alive.”
If he is alive, he is present. Where do you want him to be?
He is not in the moon, he is not in Sirius (“Dog Star”) nor is he beyond the stars. He is not in the space that separates us here one from the other.
He is present in our freedom because it is through freedom that we are truly men (or women); that we emerge from nature. If he is present, he is active; he does something, because an inactive presence is not a true presence.
Christ is not elsewhere than where we are; He is not in our liver nor in our pancreas; he is in our freedom. Not in our freedom when we are asleep, but in our freedom when we act freely, i.e., when we take decisions.”
Our God invites us to the struggle for freedom, to follow the way of truth: he lets the Spirit spring up in us!
The ongoing discernment of the calling arising from today’s world brought out five topics that will be deepened in the days ahead by the working groups.
- Expand the vision of mission
- Focus our apostolic options
- Deepen our spirituality
- Build community and communities
- Look at our own Institution in the context of the fragmentation of traditional institutions.
At the end of the day, in a period of ‘privileged listening’ the Capitulants shared on this issue: Considering the development of the Congregation today and seeing what it is becoming, what are your feelings and thoughts; what are your fears, hopes and dreams?
Seated in a circle, in an atmosphere of attentive listening and mutual respect, each one was able to feel free and encouraged to express what she held dear. Such a quality sharing unquestionably came to consolidate our communion. Mission is central to our lives and motivates us!
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