Study Topic for April
Introduction
The word orient means ‘to turn ourselves in the direction’ or ‘to move towards’. How do we orient our lives towards God ? Where can we get the guidance to do this ? What can give us strength and determination to keep focussed ? Who are our role models ?
The framework of Teams of Our Lady with the combination of our own Team, the Team meeting and the endeavours should all have had a profound effect in orienting our lives towards holiness and towards God. If being in the Teams movement helps our orientation towards God, what are we learning through this orientation to deepen our faith? Is this helping each of us personally and as a couple to develop a more personal and intimate relationship with God ? Is this relationship causing us to change our attitudes and our behaviour and the way we live?
The Example of Jesus
Jesus – the Son of God came and took on human dimension to show us a way through the jungle of life. He came to show us the way home to the Father, through teaching us how to live our lives. In his humanity he lived the first 30 years in a family environment. In that time he was learning to be a human person and learning and living the values which God the Father through the Holy Spirit and Prophets had been trying to communicate through the ages. This same Jesus in his public ministry taught us how to live these values, so that each one of us would attain eternal life, while at the same time living life to the full.
Jesus’ public life started with Him humbly wanting to be baptised by John the Baptist; by reluctantly, but in obedience to his mother, performing his first miracle at Cana in Galilee and progressing to his total giving for each one of us on the Cross at Calvary. During his public life, Jesus taught us how to live as whole human persons with the values and love that are necessary to live as communities of love, in a new spiritual and social reality, embracing all people through the love and mercy and justice of God, drawing them into one family.
He did this through his teaching, through his own lived example, his miracles and his ability to listen, to be aware and to heal his fellow human beings. As if this were not enough, after his crucifixion he was buried, rose from the dead and ascended to the Father who sent us the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit
Jesus promised us: “I shall ask the Father and he will send you another Advocate to be with you forever.” John 14:16
The Holy Spirit is now with each of us – the Holy Spirit who came on Jesus as he was being baptised by John in the Jordan - the same Holy Spirit who descended on those gathered in the upper room with the Apostles, and who sent them out to the whole world to live and teach, heal and develop community just as Jesus had shown them. This is the same Holy Spirit who comes to each one of us in Baptism and bestows on us the special gifts of the Spirit at our Confirmation. The sacraments, the gifts and the promise of the Spirit are with us always, giving each of us the power to fulfil the mission of Jesus, to grow communities of love in our lifetime, to make God’s Kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven.
When we take the time to be still, to be aware, this same Holy Spirit is patiently waiting to talk to us, to guide us and to support us in living our life to the full.
The Sacraments
We are also especially guided and supported through the grace which we receive through the Sacraments which give us the grace and strength to carry out his work in the world.
Baptism and Confirmation give us the grace and the gifts to be followers of Jesus.
The Sacrament of the Sick will prepare us to accept our weakness and our sufferings thanks to the support of Christ and to join in an eternal environment with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is always open to us. When we approach this sacrament we obtain pardon from the mercy of God for offences committed against him. We are given the grace of forgiveness, an opportunity to be listened to, to admit to our weakness, to be sorry. This in its very special way gives us inner peace that comes with forgiveness. Experiencing the forgiveness of God for our sins should help improve our capacity to forgive one another.
“Forgiveness means a decision resulting from reflection and dialogue. It does not occur spontaneously and takes some time. It means great efforts and a good dose of generosity, humility, courage, understanding and love.”
Called to Reconciliation; Andres and Sylvia Merizalde– Hispano-America Super Region.
This gives the strength and the example to reach out to forgive others. In this way it gives us a basis to build communities of peace.
With our Sacrament of Matrimony – as mentioned in the second study topic (December 2006) – Christ comes into the life of married Christians and abides with them forever.
“Through the Eucharist, Christ bursts into our life today. It is He who is, who was and who will be. What occurred as successive events – the institution of the Eucharist on Holy Thursday, Christ’s death on the Cross on Good Friday and his Resurrection on Easter Sunday – is made present in one moment, in a single act that sums up all that He is and has done out of love for us. To celebrate it, to commemorate it, is therefore to manifest to the world our faith in the presence of God, at the heart of our life.”
The Couple called to Eucharist – Bernard and Elizabeth Gerard – Super Region France-Lux-Swiss.
The Pope in his address to Teams in January 2003, linked closely the life and commitment of couples to participation in the Eucharist:
“The spouses’ mutual commitment – a mystery of covenant and of communion – invites them to draw strength from the Eucharist, ‘source of Christian marriage’ and model for their love, ….to dialogue and to have a communion of hearts. Familiaris Consortio No. 57.
Fr. Caffarel in 1963 spoke of Eucharist:
“As you know, the quality of union between two beings is the measure of what they share, hence you draw the very life of Church in Eucharist. It is the life of Christ that you must first of all share between you.”
To receive daily or weekly the Body and Blood of Christ - left to us at the Last Supper, will certainly strengthen us in becoming more like Him and in living out His values and example.
Orientation to Jesus
As we orient ourselves towards Jesus, what does it mean to us today ? When He tells us that what we do for another – we do for Him!
When Jesus asks us not to be afraid – to let go of worldly possessions.
“Sell your possessions and give alms, get yourselves treasure that will not fail you. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Luke 12:33
In today’s busy material world, where we ourselves and many around us are marginalised, excluded – should we not follow Jesus’ words to us on the Mount, which we have grown familiar with as the Beatitudes. When we decide to follow Christ, we need to be prepared for self-sacrifice. We need to stop looking for the easy options.
“It is not given to men and women to choose their crosses:
They are imposed on them,
as on Simon of Cyrene, who followed,
In spite of himself, but who later tasted the secret joy of following Him.”
The Cross: Accursed tree, Tree of Life, Tree in Flower – verse 3 – Godfried Cardinal Danneels – Belgium.