141-Rector Major and new missionaries meeting 17:30 – 19:00
Conference-Lectio and open forum September 16,2010
Introduction
Thanks for your generous answer to the missionary call. In the Salesian Congregation after the Saints and Martyrs, the best we have are the Missionaries!
To be a missionary is becoming more difficult today; there are many temptations in the missionary life. You need to nurture your vocation in order to overcome the basic temptation to give up, to go back! I hope this course, along with my sharing, will give you more strength, a driving force in your life.
Today you will receive the obedience letter as the will of God (NB: due to the absence of the Vicar, for the first time this has been signed by the Rector Major personally). I invite you to embrace it with your whole heart and make it your own. This journey will be completed with the consigning of the missionary crucifix at the Eucharist celebrated in Turin, next Sunday September 26.
On that day you will be sent.
Lectio-Conference on the Mt 28,16-20: some highlights and comments from the text
Text chosen to be learned by heart, prayed, kept in the heart, a matter of reflection again and again as the powerful and ultimate motivation for the missionary vocation & activity.
Paschal origin of the mission
There is a temptation close to each missionary, even to lose his faith, to become an atheist, to become a guerilla, social worker, WHEN/IF not fixed with all his heart on Jesus. Life is hard, my brothers! It’s easy to forget Jesus and his Gospel!
The existential dynamism of mission
Only when Christ's Lordship is proclaimed, it goes on! Our going out to the whole world is deeply rooted in God’s going out [of His Trinity Loving Community] to all! Our journey is not based on human calculations, is shaped daily by obedience to the will of God!
Why are we sending missionaries to many difficult places, like Pakistan, China, Project Europe? Why? It’s not for a spiritual conquest, it’s in obedience to His Word!
Being a 'Missionary' is not just when coming to a new country, but only when you become a more missionary-minded man in your self-giving heart. Unfortunately many missionaries are living their life as volunteers, just for 2-3 years to taste and come back! In the past there were many missionaries who after arrival to their destination destroyed their passport, burnt the bridges back home and were completely dedicated to their new land, where they were sent by God! I do not advise you to burn your passport, but don’t keep your emergency exit doors, please!
Like Saint Paul, without a previous journey of conversion in your own heart you can’t become a missionary! To be a missionary, means to go up to the limits of giving your life completely, totally!
The ways the mission can be put into action
You need to incarnate Jesus, to make Him visible through your own life, to become the revelation of God! Make your life accessible Word of God for the people & youth!
In many places you will go and see a big social need, and the temptation will come: to become a social worker amidst suffering people. We need to overcome this NGO mentality, we also need to solve the problems of humanity (human promotion, leaven of culture…), but the main goal is to point as Don Bosco did to heaven! “I want to see you happy now and forever”. It’s not enough to educate just honest citizens. Social relief is not enough, we need to express clearly our solidarity. Take note!
The deep mysticism of mission
Main direction in the missionary life is to be united with Jesus and make Jesus shine through his life: Christ is with the missionary and fills our life to overflowing! This is a real treasure of missionary life and the greatest gift you can give to those to whom you are sent: nothing is more convincing and credible than a life revealed by living in Jesus’ presence , letting is shine through the serenity of one’s face, one’s gaze, the humility of acts, the truth of one’s gesture and word.
Your first vocation is a call to be a friend of Jesus, to be happy, to live intimacy with the Lord Jesus (=Jesus dwelling in our heart).
We need a mature synthesis in our life: we should strive and we should ask for the grace of unity in our life & mission! John 15,5-16: remain in me as the branches…
Open forum: questions and answers (1st – SLK, 2nd KOR, 3rd MEG, 4th IME)
Q1: Thank you for openly speaking about the difficulties and problems in the missionary life. For us is important to have a point of reference in every situation.
A: Today there is confusion of light commitment and enthusiasm. We need really learn by heart the command of Jesus – Mt 28,16-20 in order to deepen our vocation, to pray it over. Fr. Viganò used to say: Take good care of your spiritual life. Nobody else will take care of your own spiritual life (advice to a new provincial!) . Really, the confreres want to see you always cheerful, in good condition, completely available, but nobody helps your spiritual life! Confession fortnightly, daily exam of conscience is my way, how to keep united! Don’t’ loose the center of my life. It’s quite easy to lose it, to live not authentic, fragmented life!
A: And one more: please learn the languages well. This is the main expression of love for the new homeland. In order to understand the culture, you need to be serious in studies…
Q2: My experience makes me emphasize the importance of community life for the mission. If there are problems, challenges without the community help missionaries are losing hope and strength.
A: Community life is one of the graces we have received to be faithful. We live, where we are loved! Often we don’t’ feel at home in our community. We need not just house, but we need a home, family spirit in our community. It’s very important to create this environment.
Q3: Missionaries are at the heart of the Congregation (we heard the first day). But sometimes we hear, that this is only about exchange among the provinces. It’s a temptation, to consider my life not as a specific vocation.
A: Missionary is sent to implant the Church and then the Salesian missionary also to implant the Salesian Charism. Not just to work, to run a school, parish, center in the mission, distant land. Try to repeat what Don Bosco told to Michael Rua: What did you see at Valdocco, repeat in Mirabello. We don’t’ respond only the needs, we are entrusted a mission!
Q4: In my home province, I often listen to many SDBs saying: The mission is here, we don’t’ need to go distant lands. We don’t’ have priests here either!
A: There are three main reasons to feel proud to be a missionary.
First – you have obeyed the command of Jesus: Go into the whole world! You have make it your own! This is nothing extraordinary, it’s for all Christians!
Second – we believe in the strength of the Gospel, which can transform any culture! In Guatemala after the war, with more than 200,000 victims, there is a huge need of cultural transformation.
Third – We are Salesians! Don Bosco is telling us – It’s enough if you are young, to love you!
Yes, Europe was in the past very generous, but now there the first missionaries are coming from outside and the renewal and new spring is coming. You don’t need to listen and be confused by these comments, you need just to listen to God and his Word!
Notes: VK, 100916
