Embracing a Common Future
Edmund Rice Christian Brothers
North America
Thursday, 09 August 2007
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Embracing a Common Future
Edmund Rice Christian Brothers North America Thursday, 09 August 2007 |
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THE PROPHETIC CALL TO A QUEST FOR JUSTICE Mary: Model of Prophetic Call INTRODUCTION Among the people of the scriptures, Mary stands out as the one who responds readily when listening for God. Major demands are asked of her; her life will never be the same. Whatever hopes she had as a young woman would now be replaced by risk, pain and sorrow. And yet, she responds in overwhelming generosity and faithfulness. Her zeal to respond in fidelity immediately leads her to action - to visiting Elizabeth - where she could be of service to another's need.
ALL God seeks a complete change of heart and attitudes, a new way of living: "I ask you this, and only this: love tenderly, act justly, walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8 LEADER During this time of journey and reflection on liberation from injustices, we are called to a deep response, a prophetic call to the quest for justice. Mary is a model for us of free and full response to God's call. "In living our consecration we look to the example and protection of Mary, the woman of faith, who was called to make visible God dwelling among us in love." Constitution #11 Consider this question as you read the following Magnificat: As a young woman in the small town of Nazareth, can you imagine that Mary ever felt alienated, isolated, alone, unappreciated or rejected?
In prayer Mary watched. Eyes of her soul turned inward, she watched. Ears of her spirit stretched out, she watched, Watched for Yahweh in stillness.
In awe Mary listened. With the firm beat of her heart, she listened. With the deep stroke of her breath, she listened. Listened for Yahweh in stillness.
In the stillness Mary reached out. Mind alive, she reached out. Memory reflecting, she reached out. Inviting her God to inspire.
The shadow streamed into her being. Greeting the core of her soul. |
Hearing, she stretched for the life source.
Embracing the quickening call.
"How is this? I know not!" she responded.
Stumbling in God's desert of time.
"But you speak and all things come together.
I will as you say, let it be"
Her lifetime of shadowy knowing was
Confined in the quieting joy.
Summoning cadences, ancient and deep,
Echoed the call of God's peace.
Mary arose and went out.
Holding the knowledge of change, went out.
Accepting the newness of challenge, went out.
Went out to begin the task.
Mary embarked on a journey.
Her mind precise for the journey.
Her soul enflamed for the journey.
Journeyed to the arms of Elizabeth.
In the warmth of those arms, she knew.
Ancient pathways of op'ning before her, she knew
Words of people streamed from her mouth, she knew.
Knew that her God lived within her.
(Miryam of Nazareth, Ann Johnson, Ave Maria Press, 1984)
GROUP REFLECTION ON QUESTIONS
How did Mary have the strength ...
... to imagine the power of God transforming her small life?
... to gather the power to move beyond personal feelings, and family/community attitudes to embrace the whole world with God's freedom.
SCRIPTURE READING Jeremiah 29:11-14
I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out--plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. When you come looking for me, you'll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed. I'll turn things around for you. I'll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it.
A RESPONSE
He is in the pain, He is in the need.
He is in the poor, we are told to feed.
Though He was rich, for us He became poor.
How could He give so much, what was it for?
In His distressing disguise He waits for us to surmise
That we rob each other by all that we own
And that's not the way He has shown.
Every time a faithful servant serves a friend that's in need
What happens at that moment is a miracle indeed.
As they look to one another in an instant it is clear
Only Jesus is visible for they've both disappeared.
He is in the hand that reaches out to give.
He is in the touch that causes us to live.
So speak with your life now as well as your tongue,
Shelter the homeless, take care of the young.
In His distressing disguise He hopes that we'll realize
That when we take care of the poorest of them
We've really done it to Him.
"Distressing Disguise" by Michael Card
CONVERSATION WITH OTHERS IN COMMUNITY
"Human conversation is the most ancient and easiest way
to cultivate the conditions for change - personal change,
community and organizational change, planetary change."
Margaret Wheatley, Turning to One Another, 2002
I must deal with the tendencies of different personalities, cultures ...
I must stand where I am and accept who I am ...
Justice is a process I build up. Sometimes it requires unlearning ... undoing ...
What other models can I find of persons who suffered exclusion and isolation but who brought life to the world? Edmund Rice ... other examples ...?
What do they teach us about responding prophetically to God's call for justice?
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OPENING