Sr Lini Sheeja MSC from Germany –
The God who anointed Moses and Samuel, the God who called Peter and John, the God who ate with the sinners, the God who forgave the woman caught in adultery, the God who asked Zacchaeus to come down, the God who asked us to love one another as He loved us, the God who worked wonders, continues to do wonders by calling each of us. The God of wonders has called us to be his presence to others. Dear readers of this article, if we are called by a God of wonders, is not our religious call something wonderful and a blessing? Joshua and Elija had a role to play in the history of God’s calling. The twelve apostles had a particular role to play. The blind man who was healed by Jesus had a role to play. Mother Mary and St Joseph had important roles to play. What are our roles today as consecrated women and men in the 21st century? Is our role only to celebrate the Holy Mass or to remember the world and the needy in our convents during our prayers? Are we all called to work as priests and sisters merely, or are we called to be priests and religious people who are all the more human by our being? Are there peripheries in our communities? At the beginning of this article, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to every consecrated man and woman for your great services and the changes you make in the lives of people through them.
We all cannot do great things, but all of us can do little things with great love. What are these little things that we can do within our convents and institutions? What are we called for? Are we called merely to be a teacher, a nurse, or a social worker? No, we are called specifically to be human beings within our four walls and outside our four walls. If we ever forget this fact, then our religious calling loses its fundamental meaning. Some of us are so perfect in our so-called professions and work places, but we fail to smile at our brothers and sisters with whom we are called to live in a community. What are we called for? was a question that came to mind when I thought of penning down an article on Consecrated Life in 2024. What are we doing within our communities, and what are our attitudes towards our sisters and brothers? In this article, I thought of reflecting on some of the realities of our community life.
Call to be Human
Dear Fathers, Brothers and Sisters, we are living in a world in which the human being has lost his/her value in the name of war. War rages on in different parts of the world between countries! If we were to treat humans as humans, we would never engage in these wars. But unfortunately, as a whole, we have lost a sense of humanity. After our day of work, when we sit before the TV in the evening to watch the news, 80% of the coverage we see is of war. While praying for the end
of war in different parts of the world, we may, however, forget to pray for the end of the cold war that goes on imperceptibly in our communities. It’s good to ask ourselves, How human are we in our own communities? We may not physically harm one another, but don’t we do so psychologically and mentally? Are we trying to spoil the names of our community members in our conversations? Are we living for years together with such bitter experiences that we cannot forgive one another?
We are been called by a God who forgave even His enemies on the Cross. We are anointed by a God who prayed for the ones who tortured and crucified Him. His human body was crucified, but he continued to remain human. To be a priest, a sister, a teacher, or a nurse is apparently easy. But what about being human? If only we are human to one another, are we worthy of being called priests and religious? Be a good human being and engage in dialogue with one another with mutual respect and love.
Call to wash each other’s Feet
Is there anyone in our community who goes to bed with tears in her/his eyes because of the words and actions that came from us? Is there any priest or religious person in our communities who wants to leave the community because she is not accepted or loved by the other members of the community? Are there any members in our communities looking for friendship outside because she has no one to listen to within the community? Is there anyone who feels neglected in our community? Why are we not able to bear with one another? Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him, but still He stoops down before him. Jesus knew Peter would deny Him three times, but still He stoops down before Him. Jesus knew His disciples would flee from Him during His time of trials and suffering, but still He stoops down before them. Jesus stooped down to raise the little girl who was dead. Jesus stooped down to raise Lazarus from the dead. Are we able to stoop down before one another? As consecrated men and women, let us subdue our egos and be near one another, to listen, to help and to serve. Then will our community life have a meaning? Let our consecrated life become meaningful through our community living.
Call to Smile
If any religious stopped smiling, then it is high time to stop being a religious too. When I listen to the struggles of some of the religious and priests I am inclined to think that we as religious and priests make our lives and others lives within our four walls quite miserable. A simple smile can heal the sick members of our community. Laugh, smile and live fully. Dear priests, religious and leaders of communities, remember that all of us have left our parents, siblings, and dear ones for one goal. If we cannot live peacefully and if we cannot smile at each other in our communities, then what good are we going to do outside? Some of us are so focused on our work that we forget to smile at the people we work with or for.
Some of us are so hard-working that we forget to laugh sometimes. Let us laugh, smile and radiate the love of God who called us in love.
Call to Appreciate
Appreciation is the quality most lacking in our community lives. If our members are appreciated in our communities, then we have heaven on earth. Some of the superiors are not appreciated by their superiors and they in turn cannot appreciate their members in the community. Sometimes our tongues are ever ready to accuse, but not to appreciate. Negative comments are passed in fraction of seconds in our communities, but positive comments and appreciations require days to come forth, and sometimes they are even ignored. But, funeral masses have always some words of appreciation of the person concerned. Unfortunately in the funeral mass the person in the coffin can no more hear how good or worthwhile he/she was. Let us never wait for the funeral mass to highlight the good qualities of our community members. Let us acknowledge one another, appreciate one another and lift one another when they are able to hear. Life is too short to neglect it!
Call to Seek the Lost in our Community
Are we all occupied in going to the streets, hospitals, orphanages, schools and colleges? There may be members who feel abandoned within our communities. There may be some members who are prisoners to their past living in our communities. There may be members who are lost within their communities. There may be members who are lonely in our community who need our presence and comforting words. Sometimes we find the peripheries within our walls which need to be reached out. Let us never forget the peripheries within the four walls of our institutions. Let us never forget the double responsibilities which we have as priests and religious. May the God of the Peripheries help us to smile and appreciate one another, wash each other’s feet and be human in our communities and outside. Festal Blessings!
Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, belongs to the Congregation of Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. She worked as the team member of Child-line, BOSCO Bangalore. She served as the Geriatric Medical Social Worker at St John’s Medical College Hospital, Bangalore. Her motto My God provides and so no child should go uneducated makes her to reach out many orphan and children in distress. She served as the National Secretary of Prison Ministry India. She also served as the Chief-Editor for Prison Voice, a national monthly magazine and is the author of five books. In her fifth book named, Holy Warriors in Prisons, she invites the readers to heed to the cries of the innocents and act on it. Contact: [email protected]