Homily on Life of Consecrated Community

 

Life of Consecrated Community

When we are chosen for a life of service in a consecrated community, and all are brought together to live as one family, we must live truly as members of that same family.

Living as a family means supporting, loving, forgiving, and comforting one another. It means questioning [when necessary] and correcting one another. We must live together with purity, without misunderstandings, and in open discussion. Only by living together in this way can we lead a life truly dedicated to God and fulfill His will.

 

However, in consecrated community lives, there are many divisions—especially the prevalence of caste/group discrimination. When we have chosen a consecrated life and are chosen by God to live it, is there a need for caste differences among us? We are all people dedicated to God living in one place. Since we are living a life dedicated to God, we must live as members of one family. If we can show caste differences or hatred, can our lives truly be called ‘consecrated to God’? We must engage in self-examination.

 

Only when everyone in the community can live together as one family, as members of one family, do we become true servants of God and children of God.

The distinction between elders and the young in a community

·         Elders and young people live together in a community. Elders’ perspectives are based on experience, while the young may lack that experience, often possessing more impulsivity and a lack of foresight. If an elder says a word to a younger person, the younger person should be able to receive it. They should accept it, thinking, ‘You are sharing this goodness with me out of your experience’.

·         Since we have been chosen for a consecrated life, everyone must keep only God in view. Both elders and the young must be able to show pure love toward one another.

·         Elders should not exercise authority, issue commands, or impose laws on the young, saying, ‘We are the elders, so you must listen to what we say’. Elders should not hurt the hearts of the young. That is why it is good to be like a family. Parents are elders, but do they hurt their children? They don’t, do they? They only hurt them to a small extent; they only punish them to a certain degree. It is not the duty of parents to punish or hurt their children; their only duty is to love. There might be some reprimanding or correction when children behave inconsistently, but it should be gentle. There should be no room for grudges or vengeance. If misunderstandings arise, they should be resolved between them. We should not become distant, hate each other, or foster disgust.

·         The young should also be able to follow the instructions given by the elders. Elders give suggestions to the young precisely because they have a great deal of experience. Therefore, the young should be able to follow the elders’ suggestions. If a young person acts toward an elder by saying, ‘Who are you to tell me? I am more educated than you, that is not the nature of a consecrated person.

· These days, much technology and knowledge-sharing have emerged. The young have been able to learn these things. In the past, there was no such thing, so the elders did not have access to that kind of technical knowledge or higher education. They were unable to learn those things. But that does not mean there should be any differences of opinion or ‘superior/inferior’ attitudes in community life. There should never be a mindset of talking down to someone.

·         We have chosen a very special life. These are lives that have received God’s call. In such a case, why do we have these differences of opinion? Why these superior/inferior complexes? You are working with the knowledge God gave you, and I am working with the knowledge God gave me. Even so, let us respect one another. Let us support one another.

Lack of harmony in community lives

·         God has truly chosen and arranged this special life for us, hasn’t He? If we live without harmony with one another in such a life, can we fulfill God’s will? Harmony must exist, especially in community life.

·         For example: If we examine the lives of crows, when one crow has a problem, many crows gather together, cawing and solving the problem collectively. We should look at and learn from the unity, harmony, and love present in crows. Is the harmony found in crows present in us? It is not. Among us humans, we always hate each other, envying one another, and talking down to each other.

·         That is why Christ the Lord says we should learn from the nature of little children. Look at children; if they hit or scold each other, if they fight or argue, a short while later, if you speak to them, they respond immediately. If you make them laugh, they laugh. If you talk, they talk. If you give them something, they take it. We must cultivate such a nature in our community lives. First, we must look at the unity of the crows and cultivate it ourselves. Second, we must cultivate the nature of little children ourselves.

·         When we are all one family... if words like ‘you are different/I am different/your caste is different/my caste is different/I don’t like you’ and such behaviour arise in us, we are not God’s children. Shall we live without the behaviour of God’s children? Shall we live as one family, including everyone in the family, and show it? What kind of life does God appreciate? If we live by hating each other, keeping our distance, and talking down to each other, are we God’s children? We might be called God’s children by the church, or by the clothes we wear, but if our behaviour is not such that God, who watches and observes our hearts, can accept us as His children, what will happen to our lives? We must question ourselves. We must correct ourselves.

·         If someone is humiliated due to a small mistake, that is enough to say, ‘You acted shamefully; that is why this humiliation happened to you. You are not even a human being…’ Is punishing them further in this way the nature of God?

·         A community life means comforting those who have been humiliated, loving them, saying, ‘Don't worry, pray about it’, and showing comfort by saying, ‘God will forgive you’.

·         Instead of saying, ‘You made a mistake. You made a shameful error. That is why you got this punishment, and demeaning our neighbors, as if killing a dead snake over and over again - if we behave like that toward our fellow members who have faced humiliation, are we individuals chosen by God? Not at all.

·         Christ, the Lord, who knew no sin... while foolish people pulled the hairs from his beard, He prayed to the Father. He forgave those who behaved that way. Christ the Lord did not curse those who hurt Him; He did not display anger.

·         Since we are all children chosen by God living in one place, there should be no differences of ‘superior’ or ‘inferior’.

Impulsivity is very high in the young

·         Elders were also young once and grew into old age. Therefore, elders should understand the impulsivity and the hasty nature of the young. Tell them to correct their impulsivity in a good way, using Bible verses as examples. Speak with love. If elders harbour hatred or anger toward the young because they spoke impulsively, that is not the nature of God. Only if we possess the nature of God will we become His chosen children.

·         Therefore, elders understand the impulsivity of the young.

·         Young people understand and follow the suggestions given by the elders. Every day... elders and young people... realize one thing. Remind yourselves in your hearts every day: ‘I am one set apart by God’.

·         We did not come here to hate anyone or to keep anyone at a distance. We gathered here to serve God, to live in His fellowship, and to fulfill God’s will! Know this truth and behave accordingly.

Humiliations are very frequent in community lives

·         When a neighbour faces humiliation because of their actions or behaviour, if we hurt, question, or humiliate them further, what should be the condition of those who have been humiliated? Instead of behaving like that, we must comfort those who have faced humiliation. We must console them. That is our responsibility.

Everyone in community life must establish a very close bond with God

·         One must cultivate a life of daily prayer. Whatever difference arises in our lives, whatever miracle happens in our lives, we must tell God again, just as we would tell a friend. We must share our feelings with God. Nothing happens without God knowing, but we must tell Him everything. We must converse with God. Instead of focusing more on our fellow humans, we must grow our bond with God. First, we must give God the first place in our lives. We must tell God about our lives through prayer. We must converse with God about every situation. If we converse only with humans, differences of opinion are inevitable.

Most importantly, we must always seek the help of the Holy Spirit

·         When living in a community, conversation with God and the help of the Holy Spirit are very important.

·         If we live according to our emotions, it is not following God. What is God's way of thinking regarding us? If we always seek, receive, and live by the help of the Holy Spirit, there will be no differences of opinion or fights with others.

·         In community life, we must not judge ourselves against others, saying, "I am working harder, you are working less." You have a nature of working hard, so you are working hard. Perhaps your neighbors may not work as hard, but they might be closer to God spiritually! You must realize that. How can you determine that your peers are not working hard just because you have worked hard?

·         Everyone should do what they can do. You are doing many good deeds, and [you think] others are doing fewer deeds—God is the one who should praise us, and God is the one who should correct us. We must abandon the nature of boasting about ourselves.

·         You are all chosen by God and living together like a family. Therefore, there should be no differences of superior/inferior, looking down on others, pride, jealousy, talking badly about one another, talking about one another when they are not present or pointing fingers at such people - these are all sins. Those who live a consecrated community life should not commit such sins. Therefore, learn and cultivate natures like kindness, love, forgiveness, and comfort toward your neighbors.

·         If a neighbour makes a mistake, do not punish them immediately. Forgive them. Give them time to change for the better. How can you punish them just because you have authority in your hands? If they make a mistake, explain it to them gently. Do not ostracize them.

·         Families outside are related by blood. But families in a consecrated community life are not related by blood. We are people from different places, brought together by God. Therefore, the primary goal of everyone is to possess the nature of God.

·         Do not speak badly about your family/community to other Sisters or Fathers. It is like demeaning yourself. If you feel burdened by anyone among you, go to the church immediately and pray to God about your pain and the difficulty you are facing. "Lord, if it is my mistake, correct me. If it is their mistake, let them realize their mistake and bring about a good change in me," you should pray. In our problems, we must first seek God's help. We should not make decisions as we please or based on others' decisions. If we seek the decisions, comfort, love, and help of our peers, we will only face injustice. If we rely on God in our difficulties and humiliations, justice will be done. Those living in a community must realize this first.

·         When situations arise that make us distant from God, we must have self-control. We must pray immediately. We must seek the help of the Holy Spirit immediately. Tell God, "Lord, my thoughts are this way," and seek God's advice and help. Especially in a consecrated community life, purity is very necessary. Likewise, faith in God is also very important. Our focus should be on God and not on things here or there.

·         Always, in a consecrated community life, our lives, our behaviour, our moral values, our devotion, our faith, and our prayer life should be an example to our peers.

·         Being chosen means being entrusted with a special responsibility. We must fulfill our responsibilities in God's election.

·         The responsibility God has entrusted to us in a consecrated community life is very great. Therefore, as long as we have this health and this breath, we should pay attention to them. We should not waste our time paying unnecessary attention to those around us.

Especially when living a consecrated community life, one should not set one's eyes on worldly desires. One should not have a thirst for power. If God gives, take it. Behave justly. Everyone must realize this: ‘Our entire focus is only to fulfill God's will... not to observe and judge our peers’.

·         Look at the lives of many saints... observe them... if they had focused on the people of this world, could they have become saints?

·         The saints lived with a special focus on themselves. They dedicated their time to that focus. That is why they could become saints.

·         In community life, the moment we pay attention to our peers, we lose our focus on ourselves. We waste our time.

·         Do not compare yourselves with anyone among you. Compare yourselves with the saints. Be able to live like the saints.

·         Cultivate a good mindset, a good nature, and a good habit that God likes in you. Devote your time to them. Then, you will not have time in your life to worry about others. You will have only the focus of fulfilling God's will.

·         We lose patience in anger. Therefore, without letting anger come near you, pray to God in your anger, ‘Lord, grant me your divine nature!’

·         Talk less about each other. Discuss more about God and God's works.

·         Mother Mary always yearned to fulfill God's will. She lived that way. As you are living as special children chosen by God in consecrated service, take Mother Mary as your example.