On 14 and 15 October, more than 40 consecrated people from different congregations and several neighbouring dioceses in the province of Lima gathered in Lima -capital of Peru- for a meeting of conviviality and reflection on the theme: Joy, prophecy and hope in consecrated life.
At the opening Mass, the Bishop of Callao, Monsignor Luis Alberto, welcomed us to his diocese and encouraged us to lead a life rooted in Christ Jesus, to follow the Synod’s invitation to be prophetic women and men, born of listening to the shared Word. He then invited us to explore the following points in greater depth:
– What commands joy in our religious community? Do the people of God see us as joyful people? We need to be people and religious communities of joy, living like Mary who brings joy to her cousin Elizabeth: they meet, they sing, they speak, they prophesy. Meeting someone who transmits joy brings us Jesus. Joy is a gift, a grace that the Lord gives us even when times are darker: lack of vocations, closing of communities… Christ is always with us and accompanies us.
– Hope invites us to dream, to be dreamers like our founders were. They saw the future and passed on the Gospel through what they lived in their time, giving themselves body and soul to make Christ visible in the midst of the world. How can we, in turn, be creative? signs for our time?
– The texts of Jeremiah have been a strong guide for us: “Before I formed you in the womb, I chose you; before you came out of the womb, I consecrated you: I made you a prophet to the nations” (Jer 1:5) God has called each of us by our name and invites us to bring the Word of God to the world with joy and hope.
– Symbols of joy and hope illuminated our meeting: – The Word of God, a sign of obedient prophecy and the fulfilment of promises, – Colours: yellow, the colour of our joy, white, purity, blue, hope and red, the colour of love for the congregation that our founders bequeathed to us, – And in creation, seeds and plants, signs of life and hope.
– The International Family. As consecrated persons, we live in different parts of the world. Wherever we are, in every country and continent, we are all and always in the hand of God, a wealth of unity in our diversity.
We ended our meeting with singing, dancing and a walk.
Sister Pascaline, DHS – HUAURA Community. PERU – Published on 18 October 2023.
