Day SEVEN: Passion for Unity

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Text from the Cardinal:

I recommend, from the fountain of mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to all my children, and, if I could so, I would kneel in front of each of them individually to address this prayer to them, to preserve fraternal charity among them inside and outside. They would do horrible evil, and would certainly prevent the conversion of unbelievers if they were seen to be set at odds with one another, or divided among themselves, and all the more so if they were heard arguing with one another. By contrast, they will easily win hearts by the demonstration of perfect unity (A2.151).

The first thing I recommend to you, my dearest daughters, because it is actually the most essential, is the spirit of mutual union and charity. It seemed to me in the past, and especially in a period already fortunately a little distant, that this spirit was lacking in you … As if you were not all equally spouses of Our Lord, as if you were not all one and the same family (N.169-170).

Reflection:

Fraternal life, the Rule of Three, internationality, cohesion around the Superior, fidelity to the Rule and regular advice, all this, ultimately, is at the service of the Missionaries’ raison d’être: to live together as apostles, in the service of Africa, by putting into practice the motto of the Founder, of which he himself says: Charity! I wanted to take this one word for a motto, so that whenever the name and arms of your Bishop would come before your eyes, at the same time, you received from him this salutary lesson (Pe.205).

Intention:

“Modern man believes more in witnesses than teachers. If he believes in teachers it is because they are witness.” (Paul VI). We pray unity and love within the Church, with our religious communities and within our families so that we may become prophetic witnesses of the Gospel of Christ