HOLY AND CAPABLE
Prayer in preparation for the XIXth General Chapter
inspired by the Icon:
“St Daniel Comboni and the Women of the Gospel”
HOLY AND CAPABLE
Prayer in preparation for the XIXth General Chapter
inspired by the Icon:
“St Daniel Comboni and the Women of the Gospel”
INTRODUCTION
Here we are in front of the Icon “St Daniel Comboni and the Women of the Gospel”.
The Icon was written for our Congregation as we prepare for the Chapter through a long period of prayer, contemplation and reflection.
Through their colours, icons reveal what the Holy Scripture proclaims in words: “the visible image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15), and give insight into the ineffable mystery while at the same time attempting to illustrate it; they reveal while concealing.
This Icon, too, shows the “reflection of the reality of God”: it incarnates the mystery of the ineffable God, who wove a unique, personal and mysterious bond with Daniel Comboni, with the women of the Gospel, and with each one of us.
It is a message rich in beauty and consecrated femininity, written to be contemplated, tasted and lived in the daily life of our missionary ministry.
Vision of the Icon as a whole
The spiritual path that is offered here begins with an overall view of the Icon:“St Daniel Comboni and the Women of the Gospel”. It is a wide panorama with its ten scenes which come together in harmony with the centrepiece, St Daniel Comboni and the Plan for the Regeneration of Africa.
Contemplation of the Icon
The rigorous geometry of the outer scenes helps to underline their convergence towards the large central rectangle: crowded images of people in action all round the edges, and in the centre the still image that seems to have absorbed all the messages coming from the various “mysteries”.
A movement towards the centre, then, is counterpointed by a corresponding invitation, as in the act of breathing, to the opposite: as if St Daniel Comboni were guiding us to observe and reflect on the different scenes depicted. They all have in common rocky, barren desert landscapes; only in a few can we see modest signs of vegetation – as though the “vital” message were coming from the people and not from the hostile environment of rocks and cliffs.
The feminine presence is predominant, suggesting a particular “reading” of the images.
THE GOOD SHEPHERD WITH MARY AND JOSEPH – A flowering tree almost conceals one of the rocks, and a thick bush springs from the other. A green field extends below the three figures.
Jesus in the centre, “his lambs”grazing peacefully by him, expresses the strength of him who brings the good news (a scarlet book) and is “able to give his life and then take it back again”.
Joseph, the great silent one, is wrapped in his dark cloak and remains silent before the unspeakable mystery that he is part of.
Mary appears in her cloak edged with gold. Her attitude is confidently communicative as she indicates her Son and says “LISTEN TO HIM!”.
THE CRUCIFIXION AND LAYING IN THE TOMB – From these two scenes there emerge pain, silence and death: barren rocks, crosses, a skull, a sarcophagus and timid rays of light; in the first frame a faint light settles on the halos of Jesus and his Mother; in the second on those of Jesus, Mary and John. Here is silence and desolation, but also the courage and determination of the women who, despite everything, can already glimpse signs of resurrection.
THE RAISING OF LAZARUS – Our eyes are drawn immediately to Martha and Mary who, in St John's account have different positions and attitudes, whereas here they are both prostrate at the feet of Jesus, as if representing the close union of action and contemplation that must converge in prayer and thanksgiving.
THE WOMEN AT THE TOMB – In this scene there is a very small bush; while the Angel points to the incomprehensibly empty tomb, the women, confident and incredulous at the same time, seem to be consulting one another, holding in their hands the now useless jars of perfumed spices. “Do not be afraid”, says the Angel, and the women “with fear and great joy” run to give the news to the disciples.
MARY MAGDALEN – In the meeting with Mary Magdalen the reawakening of nature after the resurrection is evident: next to the empty tomb there are two people standing on green grass with bushes and a tree around them. Mary Magdalen is simultaneously leaning forward and holding back, after the mutual recognition with the Lord and his invitation and mandate,“Do not cling to me. Go…”(cfr. Jn 20:17).
THE SAMARITAN WOMAN – Jesus is sitting down, tired. The woman, standing and seemingly unafraid, showers him with her thoughts and questions: “I know that the Messiah - that is Christ - is coming, and when he comes he will explain everything”. It is a tense dialogue that leads to her receiving the greatest – and rarest – response: “That is who I am, I who speak to you”.
All other questions dissolve; she abandons the water jar she had brought and runs to spread the news and to ask the one essential question, “Could this be the Christ?”.
NAOMI AND RUTH – Ruth's position expresses strength: she is determined and decisive about going with her mother-in-law - it is she who walks ahead of Naomi's camel – and about sharing her life and values: “Your God shall be my God”.
THE DAUGHTER OF JEPHTHAH is there, rapt in the festive dance for the return of her father and petrified by the news of the vow he has taken; she turns back as though to stop the dance of her companions. In perfect obedience to the divine plan, she will weep with them, but she will valiantly partake in the sacrifice that awaits her.
TOWARDS THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM – Jesus, at the gates of the heavenly Jerusalem, waits and greets the multitudes, among them the “Pie Madri”. Women and children arrive with symbolic gifts and walk – on the edge of the cliff – on flat, solid ground. The “Pie Madriholy and capable. They are able to testify and proclaim, to console and encourage, capable of tenderness and prophecy as they walk together towards the New Jerusalem, the city that is the Bride of the Lamb.
ST DANIEL COMBONI – The apparently static figure contains within itself all the richness of the surrounding scenes, and at the same time radiates its steady response. He looks forward with confidence, with the essential episcopal symbols – the cross on his breast, the cummerbund and the skullcap – over a simple white tunic. He is making a gesture of blessing over all that is depicted in the different scenes. The book that he holds in his hand, like the Good Shepherd, is both the Holy Scripture (for its shape and size), from which he received the inspiration and strength for his life, and the Plan for the Regeneration of Africa, to which his life was spent.
Time for personal contemplation of the Icon (I consider a particular detail, re-read the meaning, listen to my heart...)
Closing Prayer in front of the Icon
Lord Jesus, we knock at the door of your Sacred Heart, pierced by your infinite love for us and for every person.
Open, we pray, so that we may enter and be with You: we shall listen in silence as you speak, O Word of the Father!
We come to You as consecrated women, with the grace of the Spirit that You have given our family through St Daniel Comboni.
We come with the burning fire of love for the peoples with whom we live.
We come to You with the richness of our femininity, a holy place where love is born and grows!
Lord, let the colours, the images and the people in this Icon light up for us, to speak of You and Your truth, and to trace the path of holiness that we can walk together as sisters.
Make us able to give life in abundance: without counting, without measuring and without the fear of losing something. May we not be afraid of distances, of differences, of unexpected requests, of new areas of commitment and self-giving; instead may everything become for us new joy of giving ourselves to You for the mission.
Speak to us in the words of the Scriptures, explain the mysteries they hold, show Yourself in the signs of this living Icon, transform us, make us today's prophets in our world.
May our whole lives speak of You, proclaim Your infinite love, recount Your wonders and the hope that springs from Your closeness to us, even when it is dark, when no one believes, because You, Lord Jesus, are the Saviour of the world yesterday, today and always. Amen.
INTRODUCTION
The Icon reveals to us some essential aspects of our missionary spirituality:
Being Holy and Capable Women, an inseparable duality. In the Icon we see this in the diverse dress as well as in the attitudes that express mercy, goodness, humility, modesty and patience (W 6837), diligent seeking, adoration and mission.
Regeneration. The call to life, to maternity, to relationships of discipleship. The maternity of Christ who begets us as sons and daughters of God; the Church that is born from His pierced side. The whole Icon speaks of regeneration: a regeneration that is born at the foot of the Cross, is seen in the empty tombs, resounds in the proclamation of the Word of life, and imbues the Plan that St Daniel holds in his left hand.
Nuptials. The women at the foot of the Cross represent the Church as the bride of Christ that receives the wedding gift of the Spirit. The women of the Gospel who met Christ built an intense and profound relationship with Him which feeds their passion for the kingdom and their prophetic calling. The Icon helps us to deepen our understanding of our role as women consecrated to God for the mission.
Ministry. The ministry expressed in the Icon is demonstrated by the attitudes of the Heart of the Father, the Heart of Christ the Good Shepherd and the gifts of the Spirit; we also find it in the attitudes of the women represented here. Thus the Icon helps us live our ministry in proclamation, in reconciliation, in compassion, in communion and in solidarity.
Sacrifice and Martyrdom. The Icon recalls certain aspects of the life of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, of St Daniel Comboni, of the women of the Gospel, and of our sisters of today and yesterday, of their lives lived as a total offering. We too are called to live the mission to the full, sharing the Paschal mystery of Christ, ready even to be martyrs, with evangelical loyalty and faith.
Our humanity. The colour of the earth as depicted in the Icon recalls our humanity, our fragile bodily existence that God has chosen to use for His plan of salvation. It is a humanity that must be embraced, sanctified and offered freely without reserve.
These aspects of the Icon, along with those of our own spirituality, will accompany us in this time of prayer. On the path of contemplation there will also emerge other elements that will enrich our reflection.
Father of glory, in St Daniel Comboni you reveal to me the experience of the Holy Spirit, your Son's first gift to believers.
Rekindle this gift in me today and make me attentive to the Voice of the same Spirit. In the vigour of youth or in old age, in the full life of ministry or in sickness, give me the constancy to contemplate the Icon, to study the Scripture with patience and receive the missionary wisdom of the passage you offer me today.
Free me of all that prevents me from recognising your revelations and grant that I may keep and nourish the insights and cultivate the prophecy.
Show me where to meet you along the path. May the contemplation of Your mystery of salvation re-invigorate my life like a watered garden or a flowing spring whose waters never run dry (Is 58:11). May my heart become a public fountain where all can come for help and consolation (W 6838). Regenerate me so that I too may regenerate life, and life in abundance, according to the command of Jesus, our Master and Shepherd. Amen!
Is 66:5-10
5 Listen to the word of Yahweh, you who tremble at his word. Your brothers, who hate and reject you because of my name, have said, 'Let Yahweh show his glory, let us witness your joy!' But they will be put to shame. 6 Listen! An uproar from the city! A voice from the Temple! The voice of Yahweh bringing retribution on his enemies. 7 Before being in labour she has given birth. Before the birth pangs came, she has been delivered of a child. 8 Who ever heard of such a thing, who ever saw anything like this? Can a country be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once? For Zion, scarcely in labour, has brought forth her children! 9 Shall I open the womb and not bring to birth? says Yahweh. Shall I, who bring to birth, close the womb? says your God. 10 Rejoice with Jerusalem, be glad for her, all you who love her! Rejoice, rejoice with her, all you who mourned her!
“Listen to the word of Yahweh”. I focus on the word listen – it is the Lord who is speaking. The invitation is in the plural – addressed to all of us sisters gathered together in thesmallCenacle of Apostles; to us who venerate His Word and study it in daily life with awe and trembling.
“Your brothers […] have said…”. God has heard the sons and daughters of the nations speaking. Who are these children of the nations today? In the Combonian spirit we say: the poorest and themost abandoned raise their voice. The multitudes of peoples that we meet, on the streets of the world, often treated outrageously, and especially those we meet in forgotten places cry out to God. The last of the earth have fixed their gaze on Jerusalem, and have said defiantly: Let Yahweh show his glory, if the holy city is truly the Mother of consolation. And God, who every morning says to Zion, “Awake, awake! Clothe yourself in strength, Zion. Put on your finest clothes, Jerusalem, Holy City” (Is 52:1), has heard their cry. For the cry of the poor and the groan of misery, the Holy One of Israel has answered, now I shall arise.
The provocation of the brothers is a double one: it is addressed to God, but also to those who venerate his Word. We, too, are called to account. The peoples tell us “Let us witness your joy!” And so we, lovers of the Word, accept the challenge knowing that the Consolation and Peace sought by the peoples are not things we create, but gifts of the Spirit that require active participation and involvement. How are we to act? Before answering and before acting we are asked to taste in silence, listen and contemplate His Word. This is so that we can grasp in our hearts the unique responses of God to the requests and expectations of the peoples. For our part we also understand that it is a time to stay awake and open to feeding our passion that is the genuine source of our joy.
The Bridegroom of humanity is about to accomplish something prodigious for his Bride and for the peoples. God does not act alone, but involves us with all our being – as sisters and mothers; he involves our potential to regenerate and to care for and protect life, to give life and to offer it.
But… in the labour of gestation God is ahead of us.
“Before the birth pangs came, she has been delivered of a child”.His loving power is always surprising because He precedes all time. The event takes place before any warning. It is clearly repeated twice: Before being in labour, she has given birth. Before the birth pangs… she has been delivered.
“Who ever heard of such a thing, who ever saw anything like this? Can a country be born in one day? Can a nation be brought forth all at once?”These are rhetorical questions that already contain the answer. No, it is impossible! Never has anyone heard, nor anyone has seen. No ear has heard, no eye has seen any god but you act like this for the sake of those who trust him.These are the things that God has prepared and done for those who love Him (cfr Is 64:3).
Raising our eyes towards St Daniel in the act of benediction, we, too, say with him, “Truly, He is the Lord!”. He renews our life, making us mothers capable of joyful regeneration (cfr Jn 16:20) and thus the nations, the poor, the last of the earth come running and enter with us the Holy City. Together we ascend towards the glory of Jerusalem, mother of consolation. And so those who have listened, heard and seen cannot but rejoice, exult and shine with joy. Our mission is to go among the peoples regenerating them, our faces resplendent with the signs of transfiguration.
With a multitude of people, and not without them (W 6655), we pass through the ever-open gates of the Bridal City, gleaming in the morning sun, like a precious stone awakened every morning by the Bridegroom: Arise, shine out!(Is 60:1).