"Desiring the spirit of the Lord and His holy operation”
On this Sunday, April 14, after the communal Morning Prayer, all the Chapter sisters took some time to prepare to experience the Eucharistic Celebration in Porziuncola presided over by Monsignor. Rodolfo Cetoloni, entrusting all the chapter works to the Madonna degli Angeli and Saint Francis.
In the afternoon we welcomed Fr. Carlos Salto OFM , who presented to us some points for a spiritual introduction to the Chapter, with the theme: “Desiring the spirit of the Lord and His holy operation”. After the welcome by the Mother General, Sr. Lilia Agnese Contini, he introduced us to the time of retreat and silence that we will experience from this afternoon until tomorrow to dispose better our hearts and minds to listen to the Spirit whom we trust, will preside over the chapter works.
On the occasion of the eight hundredth anniversary of the Nativity scene at Greccio and the Stigmata, what the two places have in common is the mystery of the Incarnation. An invitation therefore to make discernment, to listen to the Spirit to seek ways and means to embody the charism in the present time, aware that the life of the Risen One is stronger than personal and institutional fragilities. He encouraged us to make space within ourselves for the presence of the Spirit who guides the Story and to enter into a profound silence. Prayer is that privileged place where God’s desire and ours can intertwine and lead us to seek and do His will.
From this evening until tomorrow, we will experience a time of retreat. Fr. Carlos invited us to be inspired by a passage from Fratelli tutti, which, through seven verbs, summarizes the true dialogue that guides authentic discernment. As a process and path that makes the fraternity progress. If relationships are indispensable for human beings, it follows that dialogue is indispensable. Here’s what it consists of:
Getting closer to others, expressing oneself, listening to each other, looking at each other, getting to know each other, trying to understand each other, looking for points of contact, all this is summed up in the verb dialogue". The lack of dialogue prevents the search for the common good, favors individual and group selfishness, inevitably causes violence, oppression, marginalization, and contempt for those who are different.
