“The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools
but the gentle touches of air and water at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.”
~ Henry David Thoreau
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Bringing your missionary vision into focus ~ we explore and share the missionary life and present issues for our awareness or to be reminded that our world needs prayer and action! Justice, Peace & Integrity of CreationWednesday, September 1st, 2010
The missionary must overcome temptations to easy or quick solutions but search out the creative synthesis between extremes. Proposals that are not rooted in the cultural values of a people, are likely condemned to failure. The constant effort of a synthesis between an ideological proposal and cultural values must become a daily routine in our commitment. Thought for Food ~ todayTuesday, August 31st, 2010
“Today lived well, makes every yesterday a day of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope”. * Kalidasa The Mind of a SageMonday, August 30th, 2010
The challenge “comes home” when we sit with scripture and other wisdom writings ~ will we choose the things of God and eternal truth or the current values of the world? It is a fundamental choice and we make it every day in what we say and do. Choosing what is true and good (usually what also “costs” us more) we learn to honor each person as a brother and sister ~ joining together to build a better world for all. Justice and Peace ~ from head to heartFriday, August 27th, 2010
We have access to high quality information on problems of Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC), what is needed is to move from the head, from all our knowledge, to the heart ~ in order to be efficient in the field of JPIC. The commitment in this field is seen as part and parcel of “making common cause” with the poor and victims of acts of injustice and conflicts ~ taking into consideration the talents of each person in collaboration and sharing. We guide and let ourselves be guided too ~ when love is the strength of our commitment in JPIC, there is a new environment where reconciliation and peace are possible. |
The commitment for JPIC is the area in which we need dreaming ~ to make suggestions, bring about solutions and be prophets for the future ~ where the limitations of the present are overcome! We need to nourish our ability to dream and help others to dream and be all they can be. The Comboni Missionaries take as a priority, forming future leaders.
Sitting with the book of Sirach, I was struck the other day with “Humble yourself the more, the greater you are and you will find favor with God… The mind of the sage appreciates proverbs, and an attentive ear is the joy of the wise. Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins” (Sirach 3:18ff). It seems challenging to our present world view that applauds and admires greed and overindulgent consumption. Maybe it’s part of our human nature ~ Jesus was challenging it in his time too! This sense of status and superiority ~ the arrogant assumption of privilege and the automatic exclusion of those who are in need!
A central activity to all missionary work is the effort to examine factors leading to situations on injustice and conflict ~ going down to the root causes, focussing our action to help bring positive change in the concrete situations were we are. This going down to the root cause is a complex activity which demands a proper methodology ~ interpreting the reality, gathering information, networking… and committing ourselves to concrete actions… review, revise and re-commit.