The joyful Zeal

This word was come to my mind on my recollection last Sunday. What does it mean by the joyful zeal? Zeal is the fourth vows of the religious of the Good Shepherd. This vow was the legacy from our Foundress Saint Mary Euphrasia. The vow of zeal which we believe is the special trade mark of the Good Shepherd sisters.  Not all religious order has fourth vows like us. Normally vows of chastity, poverty and obedience are the common vows for religious and priests; but not the diocesan priests they only have two vows chastity and obedience to the bishop.  The vow of zeal is also the ecological vow because the vow of zeal is symbolized with the burning fire and the fire is one of the seven elements; earth, fire, air, water, human, plant and animal. On my personal reflection the vow of zeal is the center of the others tree vows. I am not saying that the others three vows; chastity, poverty and obedience are not center.

 I will give the example of the computer. When we say the computer, does not mean only monitor, or key board, mouse and CPU, all those gadgets we call computer but the one running or moving the computer is the CPU. It is the one makes the computer working. It’s almost the same with the vow of zeal. Zeal keeps burning in our heart so that we can move on for our mission. Zeal is not simply working hard or done many things. Zeal symbolized with the fire can be too demanding sometimes does indeed pain and purify. We may unwilling to move out from our comfort zone and to risk the unknown and security of change. We might be fearful or afraid to the changes of our lives and yet with the zeal we can over come.

According to Saint Mary Euphrasia love and zeal were always united, and loving person is joyful. What does it mean? And what is the connection? There are characteristics of a joyful person. First is Present, our loving God is present all the time. We can only enjoy when we are present to God what ever circumstances. Our life is always mixture joy and affliction. We can give what we have. We can give joy and love to others if we have joy and love. Self giving means acceptance. When we accept something is not acceptable sometime cause pain. When we continue giving our self that is zeal. 

Secondly is creativity. Joy is creative. When I am doing creativity, I will not show my frown face or murmuring. I will do with a joyful heart. Living in the community with the different personalities is very challenging. Sometimes our creativity is not accepted. But when we are responded creatively that is zeal.

Third is Acceptance. Joy leads us to self acceptance and the acceptance of others. When we accept ourselves, we will easy accept others. Actually we could not accept what is in us that is why we hardly to accept others. Sometimes what is unacceptable for us will shadow in others. We have to accept all things; persons, things and circumstances from God. Successes and failures become opportunity for growth. Zeal is the spirit on the person to move on and to grow. When we become a present, creative and acceptance person automatically we are enjoy life. When we are enjoyed life that is zeal. When we do something unfamiliar and unknown situations and moments with a great enthusiasm that is zeal and must be a joyful zeal. The happiness of our calling and look forward with joy to all the good we are destined to accomplish. 

bykristprast

Living the mystical and prophetic dimension of our lives in a changing World.

 We are in the beginning of new decade of the 21^st century. Every day we witness new discoveries about life- world and creatures. Technology, information, communication, media, industry are fast growing that life has become easy, instant and comfortable. Religious life faces the challenge to live it with the glamorous culture of consumerism. Seemingly “worldy” and secular culture but  also spiritual as it strive to be faithful in living out the prophetic and mystical dimension of religious life, in a  life style of simplicity, meditation, prayer, hospitality, and  committed devotion  to serve the poor and the marginalized.

We are now living in world  of interconnectedness. Our aim is to  bring up the vision on one with others, one with the earth, in one world. All – is – one.  This is now the time for Religious life to respond to the changing culture patterns. This is the responsibility of religious life to empower and enable people, to grow, to change, and to find meaning in the midst of success and failure of earthly life. We, as religious are called to be agents of change and social promoter. We are challenged to be creative and dynamic in bringing about change.

Religious life  as a consecrated life of service to God and his people  is  filled with spiritual exercises like prayer, evangelical counsels, gospel asceticism, renunciation lived in common. Mission in this life has two aspects; the personal interior life and community life

Mystical dimension has to do with our relationship with God, the God as only source of our life by trusting fully on his care for us. It is an experience of being at tune with God in prayer, meditation and devotion.  However, we need to face the reality. Sometimes we feel that our life seems meaningless.  We experience difficulties of our inner selves, like the weight of the baggages of our woundedness, emptiness and crisis.  And we question ourselves, what am I/we here for?   It is a time for us to entrust our lives to God. We need God’s grace in our daily living to raise ourselves from those moments of difficulties.  We need to renounce and humble ourselves to remove our pride and humbly walk with God. Living out the vows of poverty, obedience and chastity that we professed is difficult if we are not connected with God. Thus we need create constantly and experience more of silence, solitude and prayer.  Hopefully, we can enter the deeper caves of the self and the unwanted elements inside be transformed by the Spirit. This is not an easy process, but since we are rely on God’s grace, we believe this is not something impossible for us.

Prophetic dimension as lived in the community. Means living with another out of self is not an easy task.  We offered our life to others by living in community. To be prophetic, demands a constant listening and attentiveness to what the creative spirit of God is doing in the community.  Listening to others and responding to the needs of others especially the marginalized and the poor among us is the way to grow in our spirituality.  Prophetic dimension is also reading the sign of times and the challenging to respond to the needs of our time.  We are called to help enhance the lives of people making them more human and  conscious to its spiritual or contemplative dimension.

bykristprast