By Sister Kathleen Cornell, SSND
As we live into Advent during this time of transition in our country, our world, and religious life, may we accept God’s unconditional love for each of us, all peoples and creation.
We might begin with the call of Henri Nouwen to “trust in the depth of God’s presence in you and live from there.”
Reflect on the man born blind, and the woman who knew she only needed to touch the cloak of Jesus to be healed.
Do you trust in the depth of God’s presence in you? God is here!
I believe that our Directional Statement calls us to respond with faith and courage grounded in the love mystery of the Trinity.
“Compelled by the urgent crises of our times,” the SSND Directional Statement of the 25th General Chapter reminds us of our “longing for the oneness of all in God,” and calls us to “commit to actions that deepen our relationships of communion, wherever we are.”
Longing. How do you feel when you hear that word? For what do you deeply long? When you long for something, what is your reaction?
We often use the words waiting and coming for Advent themes. In these times of crisis, longing for Christ’s coming to our world might be a better theme.
The thing is, Christ is here, in the Eucharist we celebrate, in the ways we make Christ visible, and in our beautiful, amazing world.
As we celebrate the great gift of the Incarnation, may we open our hearts to a longing for the coming of Christ each day and into the future.
Rev. Bryan N. Massingale began his presentation at LCWR this summer with these words:
As one who, like you, has been drawn - lured - embraced by the Infinitely Loving Mystery to respond to an inner fire that urges us to spend our lives for the sake of the Reign of God, the principle question I place before you is this: What does it mean to be a sign of courageous hope in a time that we do not know how to name?
Our Directional Statement offers a clue, telling us to “deepen our relationships of communion.”
Name some of your relationships at this point in your life – they can be personal, communal, world issues.
Look at your list. Is there one that you need to foster a deepening of?
I believe we realize the differences among people, but are we willing to address the issues that challenge us in these differences? Take time to reflect and dream:
- In your prayer – read Scripture and speak to Jesus about how he treated people and shared with them ...
- In your reading and dialoguing – continue to seek out others to be aware and to learn ...
- About your willingness to change - the cycle of change is part of giving life. Bryan Massingale claimed that “grieving and lamenting the loss of the present prepares us for the arrival of the new. … Lament frees the imagination for legacy and gift.”
Our Constitution (9) clearly states that “as the desire of Jesus that all be one becomes more fully our own, our striving for unity embraces all humanity and the whole of creation.”
