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Let your kingdom come

28 October, 2015 by Alberto de la Portilla

That rainy weekend from 9 to 11 October, we were welcomed in Viseu in the house of the Comboni Missionaries for the second formation meeting.

For me it was the first time I have experienced, and very successfully, this monthly walk I propose myself: a trip to Viseu, the warm welcome in the house of our missionary brothers, the deepening of faith and love for Jesus, St. Daniel Comboni and the neighbor.

In the previous meeting in Fatima, they had met for the first time the new candidates that are now beginning the process of formation, to know the CLM Movement. This encouraged me to decide, take inner awareness and the decision to start “now”.

Now we face a first issue as a question or challenge

– Kingdom of God: myth or reality? For this, the Comboni Missionary Secular Clara Carvalho guided us and helped deepen.

First, what is a myth? What is reality?

From common sense, if we think that reality is not only the body but also the mind, sensations, feelings and emotions, our relationship with God and his love are realities.

– Is the Kingdom of God something that already exists and is still under construction? Or is it something that may come here in many centuries? Nothing better than God’s Word to answers.

From a long list of references to biblical texts of the Old and New Testaments, we create two working groups, one to examine the question How is the kingdom of God?, the other to answer the question How can we enter in the Kingdom of God?

A kingdom for all, universal. For all time, which it cannot be destroyed. Which it is already among us (and in us), but does not seem visible. Unlike the kingdoms and republics of men, the kingdom of God is not “eat and drink”, but righteousness, peace and joy. It grows as the grain germinates on earth (even while the farmer sleeps) and fruits such as mustard seed, like yeast that makes the dough rise.

– What it is needed to “join” the kingdom of God?

(How to “enter” the Kingdom?, who “deserves” the Kingdom? … do not seem successful ways to place the question. Will not deserve all the men, leaving the wheat and the weeds grow next to each other until harvest?).

“Let the children come to me”.

“Blessed are the poor … … those who cry, the humble … the hungry … thirsty for justice … the merciful … the pure of heart … the peacemakers … those who are persecuted … “.

“You are the salt of the earth … the light of the world …”.

What a responsibility for us! And what an honor!

What is our role here and now, as subjects and servants of this kingdom? Where and who have yet to come? Believe in the Good News is accepting the mission to go and take the good news.

Leave everything and go without looking back. How this challenge calls us and scare us! How many of us are willing to do so? We trust in God that He providence the rest, how and when He called us.

On the second day, Clara shared with us her testimony of love for God and our brothers who suffer, in the various parts of the world where she was called. I retain, from her fiery words, the idea that “the mission is always action of God, we are only their collaborators”.

I cannot stop from evoke and emphasize the moments of prayer and Eucharistic celebration in which everyone participated and made me feel (as in the Upper Room of Jesus’ disciples) the presence of the Holy Spirit and the Comboni missionary spirit.

It was a very special meeting because, at the same time passed the annual meeting of the CLM of Portugal and we had the opportunity to live and share moments of prayer with the laity. And above all, for having the presence, quiet but determined, of Maria Augusta that will depart shortly for Mongoumba mission in the Central African Republic. Let us pray that the Lord will protect and bless the mission.

The rain that fell during the weekend, blessed by the Lord, make germinate seeds thrown to the ground and grow His harvest.

Mario Breda (Portugal)

The blind man who became able to see

24 October, 2015 by Antonio Villarino

A commentary on Mk 10, 46-52 (Sunday XXX O.T., October 25th 2015

On his way up to Jerusalem, Jesus arrived at Jerico, a town with a long history in Israel. In this town, Mark places an interesting dialogue, quite different in nature from de one He had with the sons of Zebedee that we read last Sunday.
While the sons of Zebedee put up the question of power and their ranking as followers of Jesus (showing how little they had understood), the son of Timeo, Bartimeo, stands before de “son of David” as he really is: a blind man who wishes to see, somebody who has lost the meaning and feels lost in life.
Let us not forget that, in Marks’s intention, the son of Timeo, as the sons of the Zebedee, real persons as they might be, are brought here, to this story, as personalities that represent all of us, disciples of any time, who search for la light that sometimes we confuse with the glimpses of money, power, prestige or any other blinkering reality.
Let us stop a bit on this story and the dialogue between Bartimeo and Jesus, bearing in mind that somehow we are also taking part in it:
1.- At the road side, out of the town. Bartimeo was seating at the road’s side, marginalized from social life, unable to be among the human community.
Do we know in our experience such people as Bartimeo, people marginalized, not taken into consideration, despised because of a physical defect or otherwise? Remember that in our Christian communities there should not be any one discriminated.
But it may happen that we are the marginalized ones; it may happen that ourselves suffer despise in our own family, in the working place…or we may experience problems that seem bigger than what we can cope with. In that case, we should remain in contemplation of this Bartimeo and try to follow his steps as “blind” disciples.
2.- He shouts: “Son of David, have mercy on mi”. What a marvellous prayer! We all are in need, in one or other moment in life, of mercy, understanding, forgiveness… Only a stupid and false pride can lead us to think that we do not need God’s and our neighbour’s mercy. Bartimeo is teaching us one of the best prayers ever: “Lord, have mercy on me, help me, since I alone cannot overcome my troubles”. It’s a prayer to say with humility but without feeling of shame or false vanity. Somebody has said that never a human being is greater than when he kneels down. The opposite is just lie or hypocrisy.
3.- “What do you want me to do for you? To see again”. Physical blindness is a drama, but many blind people show that it’s not the end of the world and that worse than physical blindness y the spiritual one, to which Mark refers in this story; the blindness of so many people unable to understand God’s love, closed up in their own world of self-content and “self-reference”. This is also a precious prayer: “Lord, let me see your light, so that I may understand your love”.
4.- Your faith has saved you. The Italian theologian Bruno Forte says: “ Following a suggestive medieval etymology, “to believe (“credere”) means to give your heart (“cor-dare”), to put your heart into the hands of Somebody else… To believe is to trust in Somebody, say “yes” to his call, to put our own life in His hands, so that He is the Unique and true Lord” (B. Forte, Piccola introduzione alla fede, San Paolo, 1992, p. 16).
This faith-communion with the Other One is always healing, because it helps a person to come out of herself, out of her self-centrality and stablish links with other persons; that link becomes a sign and a means to be in touch with Reality ns, in the end, with God, the Reality that is backing all other reality. That link makes us true to ourselves and to other, healing our loneliness and vulnerability.

As I celebrate the Eucharist today, I enter into communion with the Son of David and, as the blind man, I pray: Lord Jesus, have pity on me; make me see and understand your great love, that love that gives colour, truthfulness and sense to what I am an live.

Fr. Antonio Villarino
Roma

The celebration of the 10th October in Ghana

21 October, 2015 by Alberto de la Portilla

For the first time, we celebrated as lay group the Solemnity of our Founder. We took the opportunity to talk about the founder, ourselves and the process of formation.

Everything started on Wednesday, the 7^th of October. Mr Adze Daniel, an old Comboni student, presented the life of Comboni. He talked about his birth, his parents, his vocation and mission. The presentation was so seducing that the workers, the youth and children around were filled with admiration towards the zeal of Comboni.

On the second day, the 8^th, Rev. Fr Joseph Rabbiosi, MCCJ, presented the Comboni Family. He presented the four branches, the Priest and Brothers, the Comboni Sisters, the Seculars and the Comboni Lay Missionaries. He emphasized a little upon the history of the male Congregation, the MCCJ, how it has started and how and when they came to the Province Togo-Ghana-Benin and what they are doing.

On the third day, the 9^th, Mr Justin Nougnui talked about the formation process for the MCCJ priest and clm. He insisted on the need of having a spiritual director, the disposition of community life, the disposition to witness the good news to the poor and vulnerable for both MCCJ and CLM; the academic performance so necessary to journey towards priesthood and the professionalism necessary for the CLM. The CLM can be married or single and we do not make any official vows. To a question, he explained clearly that some of the works we do cannot free us to give ourselves totally for the proclamation of the Good News and to fulfill what is required for a CLM candidate. Nevertheless, such workers can be friends of CLM and support them financially for achieving their goals.

The 10^th was a diocesan programme for priestly ordination. So the 10^th Mass was celebrated on Sunday 11^th to thank the Lord for giving us a so committed person in the name of Daniel Comboni who did not spare any effort to work for the regeneration of Africa. We prayed for the Comboni Family and especially for the CLM in our province that the Lord may strengthen them and provide them with means to carry out their activities.

Justin Nougnui, coordinator.

Kingdom of God, Myth or Reality?!

20 October, 2015 by Alberto de la Portilla

“… God reveals to man the immeasurable riches of his being, his power, his goodness.

Creation and Revelation are their language…”

(Paul VI)

Love is not a myth!

Then the kingdom of God is not a myth! Because talking about love is talking about God! His Kingdom is not a space, a place, a hierarchy system. He is within us, like love! We are (all) a particle of His Kingdom.

We have an obligation to care, to feed it; Each with their responsibility and form, but always with lots of privacy! We are all different, it is true! But diversity is the wealth that God gives us to know and let us been known!

It is in this relationship of exchange that God is present, revealing, making us feel the unconditional love that makes us believe in our ability to grow with him and for him; That love that melts and transforms us into a beautiful unit, transcendent that makes us see in the other his face!

A unique love, great, merciful, that provokes us constantly!

However, it is necessary and essential that this Love is installed in our guts and sprout in our hearts through the words, thoughts, actions and ambitions to be active particles and of his kingdom!

For the kingdom is real, the love that is not always true! (The correct question would be: Love: Myth or Reality?!

Cristina Sousa (Portugal)

It’s not power but service

17 October, 2015 by Antonio Villarino

A comentary on Mk 10, 35-45 (XXIX Sunday O. T.; October 18th 2015)

With the help of Mark, we follow the steps of Jesus already approaching Jerusalem. On the way, as members of Jesus’s group of disciples, we take part in an interesting dialogue between Jesus, the sons of the Zebedee and their mother about power and service. On the other side, today we celebrate the International Day for Missions, which is giving us a special reading perspective: the missionary service that all disciples of Jesus are called to do in favour of humanity.
Let us reflect briefly on this story of the sons of the Zebedee and their mother:

– They want to occupy the most important places on the project of Jesus. And who doesn’t? We all wish to be considered as important, to be applauded, and to have authority… And on my view, that’s all right, that’s part of our nature and, surely, a certain ambition is positive for us and the community. What we have to do is to transform that need to be important into a positive energy that pushes us to do good and to do it well.

– They seem unconscious of what that really implies. On one side, they do not know well the project of Jesus, which consists in giving life to the poor an sinners; and on the other, they are not aware of the sacrifices that their wish is leading them to.

-Jesus takes the opportunity to make them progress in their discipleship. Starting from their request and sincerity, Jesus helps them to grow in their awareness and generosity. To be disciple is not to a matter of occupying the first or the last places. It’s a matter of being ready to “drink the chalice”, that is, to assume a service with all the consequences: good and bad, glad and not so glad. It may happen that people recognize your service, but it may happen the contrary and you have to be ready for it, as Jesus was.

-In any case, they and the other disciples learn that in Jesus’ kingdom authority is not power but service. The service of authority (necessary in the family or in the community) is not to be considered as a right to impose one’s views or privileges over the others, but a service to people who are equal to those in authority. Who should have the command over a city, a family, a community? The one who is ready to serve better.

All of us have authority in one or another way. So, once we red this Word as disciples, we are reminded that we are called to do it in Jesus’ style: being servers, not dictators. And this is precisely the missionary vocation of the Church: to serve Humanity with the Word of Truth and Actions of love, made concrete in actions of help to any one in need: charitable help, schools, health centres, brotherly communities… Celebrating the Eucharist, we pray to the Holy Spirit to enable us to be true disciples of Jesus by way of serving our spouses, our brothers and sisters, our neighbours, the members of our community, especially the most needed.
P. Antonio Villarino
Roma