Upload
vinformation
View
214
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
1/40
LENT 2016
SUPERIOR GENERAL G. GREGORY GAY, C.M.
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
2/40
LENT 2016
A STORYphoto: Wilfredo Rodriguez via Wikimedia Commons
LENT:
A TIME FORFASTING
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
3/40
During my visit to
Venezuela…people spokeabout the country’s
social andeconomic crisisand its impact on
everyday life.
People line up to buy toilet paper
and baby diapers in downtown
Caracas.REUTERS/Jorge Silva
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
4/40
People have to
wait in long lines to buy basicitems like bread,
milk, rice, beans,soap, toothpaste,
paper products,medicine…People line up to buy food at a
supermarket in San Cristobal,
Venezuela.REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
5/40
Waiting for hours,
however, providesno guarantee…(if they run out of
bread, you have to wait until thefollowingweek…)
public domain: Wikipedia
Shoppers waiting in line at a
government-run Mercal store.
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
6/40
People have to
wait in long linesat bus stations, toobtain travel
visas, and again they have to wait
in even longerlines at airports.
Associated Press
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
7/40
At the same time,however, peoplehave spoken aboutpositive effects of
this crisis, pointingout the fact that thebonds of solidarity
have beenstrengthened.
photos: YouTube/Samuel Manrique Díaz
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
8/40
One of our confreresstated that thepresent situation hasled them to adopt asimpler lifestyle andhas brought thecommunity closer to
the reality of thepoor.
photo: YouTube/Samuel Manrique Díaz
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
9/40
This situation can be viewed as a movementfrom the cross to the
resurrection (from the crisis, to
solidarity with thosewho are poor).
photo: YouTube/Samuel Manrique Díaz
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
10/40
A JESUS STORYphoto: freebibleimages.org
http://freebibleimages.org/http://freebibleimages.org/
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
11/40
Jesus mingledamong the peoplewho formed thelong lines ofoutcasts, waitingand hoping toparticipate asactive members
of society.
photo: freebibleimages.org
http://freebibleimages.org/http://freebibleimages.org/
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
12/40
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
13/40
Jesus extendedunconditional forgiveness to sinners, seventy timesseven (Matthew 18:22)and exhorted his followers
to be as compassionate toward their brothers andsisters as God was
compassionate toward them (Luke 6:36).
photo: freebibleimages.org
http://freebibleimages.org/http://freebibleimages.org/
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
14/40
As a result of the Incarnation, Jesus today can be foundin all those long lines that are found in countless cities throughout the world, long lines of men and womenwho cry out every hour of every day, demanding to be
included as equal members of society.
Christ of the Breadlines (detail) by Fritz Eichenberg
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
15/40
And the Word became fleshand made his dwellingamong us (John 1:14).
God, all loving, all merciful,all compassionate, never
abandoned humankind.
In times past, God spoke inpartial and various ways to
our ancestors through theprophets; in these last days,he spoke to us through ason (Hebrews 1:1-2).
photo: freebibleimages.org
http://freebibleimages.org/http://freebibleimages.org/
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
16/40
A NEW STORY
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
17/40
Yes, Lent is a time for fasting,but during this Year of Mercyour fasting must take on anew form… personal andcommunity conversion…our fasting should mean that
we can never be accused ofpassivity, indulgence orculpable complicityregarding the intolerable
situations of injustice and thepolitical regimes whichprolong them (EvangeliiGaudium, #194).photo: Daughters of Charity IPS
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
18/40
Our fasting must penetrate
our very being, must painus to the very depths so that we can hear andunderstand anew the criesof our brothers and sisters. Then, as we listen to thosecries, “let us run to serve
them as if we were running to a fire.” (St. VincentCCD:XI:25)
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
19/40
But let us remember that aswe establish relationshipswith those on theperipheries, we have tosympathize with them inorder to suffer with them …
we have to … make them[our hearts] sensitive to thesufferings and the miseriesof our neighbor, and ask God
to give us the true spirit ofmercy, which is thecharacteristic spirit of God(St. Vincent CCD XI:308).photo: Vincentian Lay Missionaries USA
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
20/40
May our fast during thisLenten season give us,members of the VincentianFamily, a new heart, a heartof flesh, a heart that
enables us to establishever stronger bonds withour lords and masters, with the countless men and
women who are forgottenand abandoned throughout the world.
photo: Vincentian Lay Missionaries USA
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
21/40
May our Lenten fast reflect
that same movement thatour brothers and sisters inVenezuela experience, amovement from the cross(our own situation ofcrisis) to the resurrection(solidarity and greater
identification with thesituation of those who arepoor).
photo: Vincentian Family in Venezuela, cmglobal.org
http://cmglobal.org/http://cmglobal.org/
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
22/40
A STORY
LENT:
A TIME FORPRAYER
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
23/40
Last month, on theFeast of the Epiphany,I traveled to NotreDame de Prime-Combe, a shrine thatis administered by the confreres from
the Province of Toulouse and by awell-prepared laypastoral team.
photo: Google Maps street view
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.8519599,4.0796637,3a,48.1y,45.32h,85.47t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s0p8ZP_NzUTPA657UXubQmw!2e0!6s//geo1.ggpht.com/cbk?panoid=0p8ZP_NzUTPA657UXubQmw&output=thumbnail&cb_client=maps_sv.tactile.gps&thumb=2&w=203&h=100&yaw=52.5&pitch=-7!7i13312!8i6656https://www.google.com/maps/@43.8519599,4.0796637,3a,48.1y,45.32h,85.47t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s0p8ZP_NzUTPA657UXubQmw!2e0!6s//geo1.ggpht.com/cbk?panoid=0p8ZP_NzUTPA657UXubQmw&output=thumbnail&cb_client=maps_sv.tactile.gps&thumb=2&w=203&h=100&yaw=52.5&pitch=-7!7i13312!8i6656
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
24/40
At one time as manyas 50,000 people
would gather together to celebrate the feast. Today, perhaps 300people come to
commemorate theFeast of Our Lady, buteach Sunday,whenever possible, aconfrere celebrates
the Eucharist there.
photo: catholique-calvisson-sommieres.org
http://catholique-calvisson-sommieres.org/http://catholique-calvisson-sommieres.org/
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
25/40
I was deeply impressedby the simple faith of the some 50 membersof the congregation who
had gathered there tocelebrate the Eucharist. They were, all of them,60 years of age or older
(no young people werepresent).
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
26/40
Sharing life with thiscommunity of faith is a
group of Benedictinemonks who, since the1990s, have lived in oneof the buildings on the
grounds of our property. This group of monks,however, is a very specialcommunity. Each memberlives with some handicap.
photo: nimes.catholique.fr
http://nimes.catholique.fr/partenaire/congregation/v_co_pr.php?ID=2http://nimes.catholique.fr/partenaire/congregation/v_co_pr.php?ID=2
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
27/40
Yet, these men lead their lives in a joyfuland simple mannerand provide thesurroundingcommunity with apowerful example of
the manner in whichwork and prayer canbe interwoven withone another.
photo: Google Maps street view
https://www.google.com/maps/@43.8526392,4.0793575,3a,35.3y,81.09h,96.55t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s4mWiUOkokqXhuWKaKHoAwQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656https://www.google.com/maps/@43.8526392,4.0793575,3a,35.3y,81.09h,96.55t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s4mWiUOkokqXhuWKaKHoAwQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
28/40
A JESUS STORYphoto: freebibleimages.org
http://freebibleimages.org/http://freebibleimages.org/
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
29/40
Jesus often withdrew from the crowds and from hisdisciples in order to spend
some time in prayer. He toldhis followers: pray for thosewho persecute you (Matthew
5:44) and he himself prayed that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and Iin you (John 17:21). We are
all familiar with the accountof Jesus’ anguished prayerin the Garden of Gethsemane(Mark 14:32-42).photo: freebibleimages.org
http://freebibleimages.org/http://freebibleimages.org/
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
30/40
At the same time Jesusextolled the humble prayer of
the tax collector: O God, bemerciful to me a sinner, andstated that it was the taxcollector who went home
justified because those whohumble themselves will beexalted (Luke 18:9-14). Jesusalso praised the generous
offering of the poor widowwho went up to Jerusalem topray (Mark 12:43-44).
photo: freebibleimages.org
B f h d d hi ld
http://freebibleimages.org/http://freebibleimages.org/
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
31/40
Before he departed this world, Jesus left his followers thelegacy of a prayer that
combines two great desirescentered on God, with threecries of petition centered on theurgent basic needs of humanity.
Jesus tells the Father the twodesires of his heart: hallowed be your name and your kingdomcome. That is followed by the three cries of petition: give usbread, forgive our debts, and donot bring us to the time of trial.*
*José Antonio Pagola, Jesus: An Historical
Approximation, translated: Margaret Wilde,
Convivium Press, Miami, 2014, p. 313-316.photo: freebibleimages.org
http://freebibleimages.org/http://freebibleimages.org/
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
32/40
As a result of theIncarnation, Godunderstands our needs,understands that we
are broken andwounded, and in theperson of Jesus all
those realities areraised up to the Father!
The Last Supper by Fritz Eichenberg
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
33/40
A NEW STORY
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
34/40
Yes, Lent is a time for prayer,and our prayer…must also takeon a new form during this Year
of Mercy, one that leads topersonal and communityconversion. Without prolongedmoments of adoration, of
prayerful encounter with theword, of sincere conversationwith the Lord, our work easilybecomes meaningless; we lose
energy as a result of wearinessand difficulties, and our fervordies out.
Our Lady of Prime-Combe
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
35/40
Our prayer and fastinggive meaning to our
ministry/ service andour ministry/ servicegives meaning to our
prayer and fasting.
photo: pixabay.org
http://pixabay.org/http://pixabay.org/
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
36/40
My hope is that during
these 40 days of Lentwe might take time notonly to listen to the
cries of the poor, notonly to serve andminister on behalf of
the poor, but to praywith the poor.
photo: YouTube: SVDP Atlanta, Home Visit
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
37/40
…are not all of us like themembers of the Benedictine
community at Notre Dame dePrime-Combe, that is, are wenot in some way broken andin need of healing, in need of
the prayers of others? Therefore, like the monks, our“handicaps” should notprevent us from contributing
to the building up of ourcommunity, the association, the Congregation.
photo: nimes.catholique.fr
http://nimes.catholique.fr/partenaire/congregation/v_co_pr.php?ID=2http://nimes.catholique.fr/partenaire/congregation/v_co_pr.php?ID=2
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
38/40
Finally, what would it be like to askpeople, as Pope Francis continually
does, please pray for me ?
What would it be like to invite thepoor into our homes to share with
them a time of prayer?
I would encourage you to do thisand then during the Easter Seasonwe could share with one anotherour experience of sharing prayer in
such a manner with our lords andmasters .
photo: Society of St. Vincent de Paul,
Council of Los Angeles
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
39/40
Your brother in Saint Vincent,
G. Gregory Gay, C.M.
Superior General
May our prayer and fastingenable us to die with Christduring this Lenten Seasonof 2016 so that we mightrise with Christ on Easter
Sunday and sing our songof Alleluia.
8/20/2019 Lent 2016 - Superior General's Letter Vincentian Family
40/40
presented by