sussidio 10 2014

“For all of you are the children of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus, since every one of you that has been baptised has been clothed in Christ. There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither slave nor freeman, there can be neither male nor female — for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And simply by being Christ’s, you are that progeny of Abraham, the heirs named in the promise”. (Gal 3,26-29)

“Clothed in Christ”, “One in Christ”, “Belonging to Christ”.

“Incorporated into Christ by Baptism, the person baptized is configured to Christ […]. Incorporated into the Church by Baptism, the faithful have received the sacramental character that consecrates them for Christian religious worship”. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, nn. 1272-1273)

Dear Fathers and Brethren, dear Sisters, dear Adoptive Sons and Daughters, Ascribed Members and Friends,

The Year of Consecrated Life announced by Pope Francis is soon to begin. Consecrated Men and Women are invited to live it fully in their own personal lives, in their Religious Congregations and in the Church. Two instruments, to help us have already been offered by the Congregation for Religious: Rejoice (2^nd February 2014) and Scrutate (8^th September 2014).

We offer you here a Monthly Formative Leaflet, which you can use for your personal reflection in view of a Rosminian way of life and for a common sharing in Group Meetings, especially by all the different members from various areas of the Rosminian Family. Let us make an effort also to invite Friends, that is, people who have not yet become Ascribed Members of the Institute, but who are nevertheless interested in deepening their belonging to Christ, to the Church and to the life of the Church through our Rosminian spirituality.

This year’s leaflets can be imagined as Conversations between branches of the same vine. There is no tree that cannot be a place of rest where sparrows can sing the beauty of the Providence of God, even though they might be only worth two pennies. (Luke 12,4-7). Without God we are “nothing” (V Maxim) and without God “we can do nothing” (John 15,5), but “with God we can do everything” (VI Maxim). Therefore, let us share together the joy of being living and chosen branches, of having a clear will and a permanent commitment worthy of Consecrated men and women, of Ascribed Members and Friends. Let us learn from the Saints and from each other, how to correspond every day to the Grace of Jesus, our vine, so that we may “bear fruit, more fruit”.

There must be no Rosminian Community where time cannot be found for a meeting that starts and ends with prayer, that gives room for everybody to be listened to, that is fed with trust, with dialogue, and which offers encouragement and generates enthusiasm for a “Holy year” for all of us, Rosminian Consacrated People.

Looking carefully to the Church, with its times of resting and its times of moving, let us gather and move together wherever God calls us.

Let us finally thank Sr. Maria Bruna, fr. Anthony, fr. Eduino, fr. Pierluigi, and let us pray for the Blessing of God to come upon us, and for the protection of Mary Mother of Vocations, and of our Blessed Father Founder to accompany us always on our journey.

Mother Maria Antonietta Toomey                                                Fr. Vito Nardin

Superior General                                                                                     Superior General

From the Word of God
One of the centurions of the Italica cohort stationed in Caesarea was called Cornelius. He and the whole of his household were devout and God-fearing, and he gave generously to Jewish causes and prayed constantly to God. One day at about the ninth hour he had a vision in which he distinctly saw the angel of God come into his house and call out to him, ‘Cornelius!’
He stared at the vision in terror and exclaimed, ‘What is it, Lord?’ The angel answered, ‘Your prayers and charitable gifts have been accepted by God. Now you must send some men to Jaffa and fetch a man called Simon, known as Peter.
Peter reached Caesarea the following day, and Cornelius was waiting for them. He had asked his relations and close friends to be there. Then Peter addressed them, ‘I now really understand’, he said, ‘that God has no favourites, but that anybody of any nationality who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. ‘God sent his word to the people of Israel, and it was to them that the good news of peace was brought by Jesus Christ — he is the Lord of all.
While Peter was still speaking the Holy Spirit came down on all the listeners. Jewish believers who had accompanied Peter were all astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit should be poured out on gentiles too, since they could hear them speaking strange languages and proclaiming the greatness of God. Peter himself then said. ‘Could anyone refuse the water of baptism to these people, now they have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ He then gave orders for them to be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. (Acts 10:1-5.24. 34-36.44-48)
From the Documents of the Church
Baptism is in a certain sense the identity card of the Christian, his birth certificate, and the act of his birth into the Church. At the same time, Baptism is tied to our faith in the remission of sins. In this sense, the day of our Baptism is the point of departure for this most beautiful journey, a journey towards God that lasts a lifetime, a journey of conversion. The word “Baptism” literally means “immersion”, and in fact this Sacrament constitutes a true spiritual immersion in the death of Christ, from which one rises with Him like a new creation (cf. Rom 6:4). It is the washing of regeneration and of illumination. Regeneration because it actuates that birth by water and the Spirit without which no one may enter the Kingdom of Heaven (cf. Jn 3:5). Illumination because through Baptism the human person becomes filled with the grace of Christ, “the true light that enlightens every man” (Jn 1:9) and dispels the shadows of sin. Baptism illuminates us from within with the light of Jesus. In virtue of this gift the baptized are called to become themselves “light” — the light of the faith they have received — for their brothers, especially for those who are in darkness and see no glimmer of light on the horizon of their lives. We can ask ourselves: is Baptism, for me, a fact of the past, relegated to a date, that date which you are going to go look for today, or is it a living reality, that pertains to my present, to every moment? Do you feel strong, with the strength that Christ gave you by his death and his Resurrection? Or do you feel low, without strength? Baptism gives strength and it gives light. Do you feel enlightened, with that light that comes from Christ? Are you a man or woman of light? Or are you a dark person, without the light of Jesus? We need to take the grace of Baptism, which is a gift, and become a light for all people! (Pope Francis, General Audience, 13 November 2013, St. Peter’s Square)
From the writings of Blessed Antonio Rosmini
The Lord spoke, and we began to exist…he spoke again and we began to exist in a new, divine way, incorporated in his humanity through the water of baptism. But this was not enough. His word does not fall silent; the wonders of his word are endless. The word has made himself heard by us, called us from our different countries, and bound us together in the tender charity that comes from his word. We were strangers to one another; now we are only one thing in Christ Jesus, to whose love we want to consecrate ourselves completely and irrevocably. If each of us considers his own calling, he will find some marvel worked there by the one who made all things. ( A Society of Love, First Homily, p.2)
The grace of Christ is Christ himself, developing in the Christian every supernatural good that the Christian does, but not apart from the Christian.
Man can, of course, resist grace; he can desire evil. But when the Christian does some good, then it is Christ, the grace of Christ, which is at work in him and with him. This doctrine indicates a certain physical union between the Christian and the Word Incarnate. The connexion is indicated by Christ himself(cf John 15:17).The vine is the source of life in the branch; without this life, the branch could not exist. Hence it is Christ who carries out the functions of supernatural life in the Christian and with the Christian- the vine with the branch. “Not I, but the grace of God which is with me”. (Introduction to the Gospel according to St. John, 155)
Let us pray
Yahweh, you examine me and know me,
you know when I sit, when I rise,
you understand my thoughts from afar.
You watch when I walk or lie down,
you know every detail of my conduct.
For so many marvels I thank you; a wonder am I,
and all your works are wonders.
You knew me through and through.
My being held no secrets from you,
when I was being formed in secret,
textured in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes could see my embryo.
In your book all my days were inscribed,
every one that was fixed is there.
God, examine me and know my heart,
test me and know my concerns.
Make sure that I am not on my way to ruin,
and guide me on the road of eternity. (Ps 139)
ON-GOING FORMATION
PASTORAL YEAR 2014 – 2015
INSTITUTE OF CHARITY
ROSMINIAN SISTERS OF PROVIDENCE

37843_bug.jpg