So that all may live
Vocations
On the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2, many communities across the world focused on World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life. This year, I celebrate 40 years of lived Religious life.
Not many years for those who have lived the vowed life of love for 70 years or more – be they in consecrated life, married life or priesthood! Nonetheless, it is the day-to-day living of all our lives that is important and the moment-to-moment living with our personal response of ‘yes!’ that we each need to celebrate.
It is this ‘yes’ that is significant. As we are all aware, there are the ups and downs of life that are part of the human condition and are part of the seasons of all creation. Along with the disappointments, anguish, hardships and anxieties, there is joy, hope, excitement and much faith through which we live the initial inspired ‘yes!’
It is this ‘yes’ which we need to always have as our focus. Jesus’ ‘yes’ throughout his life had the focus on the kingdom of the God of Love, embedded in the here and now on earth and on how people lived their life as one of love.
So, whatever our mode of living this life of love, we as Christians live within the context of our families, schools, workplace, neighbourhoods, parishes, communities and wider Church within our world. We are all on the same mission, whatever our context, in pursuit of establishing this kingdom of love wherever we are and in whatever way we can.
We all have our particular and distinctive way of life commitment as part of the Body of Christ where we complement and walk alongside each other. We all have a particular mission and focus to make our world and communities a place of love for the present and for the future.
My hope, as is the hope of many, is that we all build – and at times rebuild – the present ways of our living. Always with the focus on the God of love who wants life for all in the here and now, we have a responsibility to ‘let go and let God’ as the saying goes.
Let us all remember this as we continue the journey of our committed life in our families, communities and Church within our world today. Let us continue in life with a ‘yes’ to God through listening to what it is that God wants even if it is different to what I may think God wants and earnestly hold onto with all my might.
We may be pleasantly surprised and filled with true inner freedom and peace which only God can deeply give. So, let us all keep living the inspired ‘yes!’ to God whatever life commitment. Let us ponder in our heart with Mary the woman of faith, the ‘yes’ which took many a turn in living the mystery of life, death and resurrection as we are called to live throughout life.
Let us live this mystery embodied as Christ-in-our-world today, as we journey this mystery together in the present of our Church and world, and as we approach and earnestly prepare for the coming Plenary Council. Let us pray that this be a time of a Spirit-filled ‘yes’ to whatever is needed for the kingdom of love to grow in the hearts of all people. Let us all begin this anew in our lives today, in the here and now.
Sr Jenny Seal fdnsc is SA Vocations Network coordinator
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