From the 25th to the 27th, those of us who had just made our perpetual vows met in Cochabamba to have a few days of formation and fraternal encounter: Santuza Escalera, Carla Barrios fi, Nieves Pérez fi and Rommy Villarroel fi from Bolivia, and Patricia Yzary fi from Argentina. Graciela Francovig, Provincial of Andean America and the provincial secretary, Teresa Ramírez fi, also participated. On the first day we were helped by the reflection of Victor Codina SJ with the theme of the Kingdom of God that is the center of the preaching and life of Jesus. A reflection that enlightened us to deepen:
• The kingdom of God as good news of Jesus of Nazareth
• The kingdom is a victory over sin and a call to conversion
• The kingdom of God is mercy to sinners and the marginalized
• The kingdom of God is conflictive
• The kingdom of God as utopia and eschatological joy
• The Church, seed of the kingdom
• Mary, figure of the kingdom and of the Church
• Commitment to the Kingdom.
We were moved by the style of Jesus the Nazarene who chose the simple things of life, the fraternal, common sense, that which makes us sisters and daughters of the same Father. Called to be with him, learning his style of making present the kingdom of God; as Mary did in a constant learning in waiting and trust.
On the second day we had the joy of being accompanied by Dayse Agretti fi, with the theme of “Seeking the good of our neighbors in the style of Jesus in compassion and poverty with others, going forth.”
We began with the dynamics of mentioning the hells we see in our realities in order to understand, that this in itself is of little importance; this occurs when the human being distances himself from the love of God and of the human person. Understanding that although we distance ourselves from God, he does not leave us alone, he rescues us descending to these hells. In a second moment we were invited to continue with the dynamics of the SpEx and perceive how the eternal king gives us light to understand and enter into the dynamics of the Eternal King. Knowing how to “hear” taking into account that the ability to hear a call is the anthropological condition to be able to see and contemplate the life of the Eternal King. This Eternal King stands before us and says “with me” and “like me” in intimacy, and marking a particular style. After we felt called from our singularity, we were led to pray with number 98 of the SpEx, and with the words of Father Ulpiano SJ who used to say: “the experience of the vows places us in the dynamic of the response to the grace received, so they acquire a greater meaning, desire and promise, it implies a desire to surrender to God and for God’s surrender to us; the capacity to make myself responsible for the other and the other for me, is mutual promise.” To end the day we contemplated and deepened the Incarnation (101-109 SE) as the oblation of God, he gives himself. He makes us live his life by assuming ours.
The third and last day of the meeting was animated by our Provincial who rounded up the two previous days and led us to reflect on the letter of CIVCSVA, “Proclaim”. This letter is divided into three large blocks:
• To the ends of the earth
• Church that goes forth
• Outside the gate
After deepening on the letter we were invited to make a prayerful reading of our Determinations and ask what harmony we found and where we felt the Spirit leading us in the concrete in our realities and in the time of her life that each one was in.
We ended the meeting with hearts full of gratitude to God and Mother Candida for the richness of our charism and spirituality. We also thank the sisters of the provincial house who welcomed us with so much affection and thoughtfulness, each of the persons who led us in the reflection of each day. We thank the God of life, because he called us and calls us to collaborate with him in building the Kingdom. We ask that you pray for us so that in the day to day we may not be deaf to his call but ready and diligent to do his will.
