What are we called to?

14/07/2010: General House - Rome

Morning Prayer:

Interpreting Theodore in 2010

How would Theodore respond today to the first key issues for the General Chapter? 

“  How are we called to respond to the urgent cries of the earth

   and of people affected by injustice? “

 “Christians, there are three books which have come to us from the hand of God, the treasures of whose beauty, truth, and love will never run dry; these three books are the Sacred Scriptures, the sights of nature and the human heart.  We must study these three books.” 3-17

Sacred Scripture:

How does Theodore’s appreciation of the Word inform our response?

‘We must listen to the Word of God – Shema Israel.’ 1-16  ‘I could not believe in a God who was deaf and dumb’. 1-17‘the Word became flesh’1-18  ‘Mary was …precise in word and action; she loved the Word and kept it in her heart.’ 1-19  ‘..cultivate in your heart, as Mary did, the seed of the divine Word so that it may germinate  in its time and bear the flowers of grace and the fruits of virtue…’ 1-211*26

Nature:

How does his vision engage us to respond to the cries of the earth?

“The scene of natural vegetation offers us at the same time subjects of meditation of far-sighted eyes, hours of enjoyment for musical ears.      Every evening I make an hour’s meditation at my window; I feel sorry for the trees whose branches tremble and turn around in every direction, but I notice their roots, buried in the ground, do not move. 4-49

“Everything I see on earth, everything I hear, everything I study in every prayer, book, vibration of air, everything which affects my senses, my heart, lead me to Jesus Christ.” 5-344

Human Heart: 

His morality developed from family values with the importance of education and his experiences of reflection to action.

Today, with whom would he work? Where would he do justice?

‘A living faith is not only belief, attachment, deep union, it is prayer, it is communion, it is practical action, works, it is the sum of Christianity.’1-20 

‘  … moral law is justice; the perfection of justice is charity   …  do for others what you want done for yourself. Hence the balance of interests, mutual services which constitute social fairness and maintain societies.’ 1-62

Reflections from two of the Chapter delegates

Nous avons commencé les travaux par une prière préparée par Elisabeth Losinski. Le thème était : Interpréter Théodore en 2010 à partir d’une citation du P.Théodore : « Il y a trois livres sortis de la main de Dieu : l’Ecriture Sainte, le spectacle de la nature et le cœur de l’homme. »

Dans les groupes nous avons commencé à écrire les premiers brouillons sur les questions clés.

                                          Ir Herminia

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A tarde do dia 14 de julho estava reservada para um encontro com o Cardeal Kasper. Ele esta terminando seu trabalho no Pontificio Conselho para a Unidade dos Cristaos  e tambémnda Comissao para as Relacoes  Religiosas com o Povo Judeu.

Agradecendo pelo seu trabalho, o Conselho Geral quis homenagea-lo com o Cardeal Bea  Award.

Maureen convidou tambem, para esta ocasião, o Embaixador de Israel no Vaticano e Conselhos de diferentes Congregacoes Religiosas.   

Nos tivemos um encontro muito bom.  Maureen agradeceu ao Cardeal por todo seu trabalho durante estes 10 anos. Algumas  irmãs agradeceram também ao Cardeal por algumas atividades especificas.

No final, o Cardeal  nos dirigiu a palavra.

Mais  no final de nosso encontro, o Rabino-chefe de Roma,  Ricardo di Segni,  veio tambem para comprimentar o Cardeal Kasper.

                                                 Gisa

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