Riflessioni ad alta voce

This is the introductory talk I gave during a 5 days retreat to a group of sisters. It may help us to reflect on our commitment for the Lord. Read the prophet Jonah as representation of humanity (he wants to run away from his responsibility), causer of destructions (storm), accepts the mission and pulls on himself the blame and asks to be thrown into the sea to save the others (death of Christ) and stays for three days in the belly of the fish (Jesus in the tomb). He becomes a real messenger of mercy, yet he remains proud and selfish (He wants to se the punishment of Niniveh). Jonah is a paradigm of our life. We get up early morning, we go for prayer and offer everything to the Lord, then we start working, hoping there will be no problems, we meet the needs, get angry at them, find solutions often not understood by those around us. We come back in the evening exhausted and find the house empty, not empty of people, but empty of feelings, we would like people a...

3. Madre della Chiesa Oggi vogliamo riflettere su Maria Madre della Chiesa. Non è un titolo ma un vero modo di essere e di vivere. Vogliamo guardare a lei nell'atteggiamento di Madre attenta al figlio che cresce, prima nel suo grembo e poi come bambino in casa. La Madre è colei che si prende cura della famiglia fin nelle piccole cose, provvede che ci sia tutto il necessario, che la casa sia in ordine, accogliente; che ci sia armonia tra le persone; se c'è una festa prepara un dolce, un pranzo speciale, vuole insomma che la famiglia stia unita nella serenità. Questa famiglia di cui oggi vogliamo parlare, e che è la Chiesa, è stata creata da Gesù. Lui è partito da un gruppo con cui vivere in condivisione, una famiglia strana fatta di persone diverse e spesso con caratteri incompatibili tra loro, basti guardare alla lista dei dodici apostoli. Luca presenta la lista due volte: al momento della scelta (Lc 6,12-16) e poi all'inizio degli Atti, (At 1,13-...

During the year of consecrated life I would like to present a simple reflection. It is a sermon I did some year ago at a first profession of PHJC sisters. 1 st reading: Is 61:9-11 2 nd reading: Col 3:12-17 Gospel: Mt 22:1-10 Dear Sisters, I would like to invite you to recall the moments, years ago, when you left your home and your village to enter in this congregation. You were full of excitement for the new adventure, a bit of worry not knowing what it would be like, and maybe a bit of sadness having to leave your family and friends. Now you are going back. People will see you different, and indeed you are different. What makes up such difference? Is it because you left in a colourful shalwar and are coming back in a spotless white habit or a cream and brown sari? Much more than that. Is it because you left when you were a 16 years old girl and now go back more mature, confident? Much more than that. When you left people were considering you as “one of them”, now they t...