As in every morning, we started at 7:30 A.M. with the Eucharist presided by Osvaldo Vivar Martínez, O. de M.. At 8:45 A.M., the liturgy commission of the day invited us to invoke the Creator Spirit, the One that gives fecundity to life, who pushes history towards freedom that help us look at reality.
The Official Preparatory Commission (CPO) ended their work as a team yesterday and we have entered into another phase, in which the Commission for the State of the Congregation (CEC) will direct the process. We were presented with the work for the day, to know more closely state of the Congregation, with a look at reality. For this, we have looked at our world and we have seen where we are in that world.
To start off, we watched for a few minutes the documentary “Mañana” or “Tomorrow”, directed by Cyril Dion and Mélanie Laurent in which a supposed scaremonger is presented with a solid scientific basis: an interdisciplinary study published in 2012 by the Nature magazine that predicts a planetary catastrophe, the disappearance of part of humanity towards 2100 as a result of the combined economic, ecological and social crises. From that assumption, a “global road” movie is done to go searching, in the five continents, for new ideas and innovators that are changing the way things are done – in agriculture, economy, energy, politics and education- and who can, therefore, prevent the apocalyptic prophecy.
After this starting point we have been presented with a working document: “Our gaze at our world”, with a triple objective:
– to approach reality with a “wider” gaze
– to ask ourselves how the Congregation is in this world
– to share our views and conversations about them.
And we have had time for personal, and group work. The Grouping was made according to the continents. Each group made a very rich reflection that made the sharing in the Assembly very deep and touching.
Members of the GCXVIII from the Continent of America
Members of the GCXVIII from the Continent of Asia
Members of the GCXVIII from the Continent of Europe
We ended the day giving thanks to the God of Life because He continues to call us to be co-creators of the common home, of a new humanity and asking Him to encourage us in this task. May we all feel called to live in a transformative way.
PRAYER FOR OUR LAND
Omnipotent God, Who is present in the entire universe and in the smallest of your creatures,
You, who surround with your tenderness all that exists, pour out in us the strength of your love so that we can take care of life and beauty. Fill us with peace, so that we may live as brothers and sisters without harming anyone.
God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this land that are so valuable in your eyes.
Heal our lives, so that we may be protectors, not predators, of the world and, so that we may sow beauty and not contamination and destruction.
Touch the hearts of those who seek only benefits at the expense of the poor and the earth. Teach us to discover the value of everything, to contemplate in admiration, to recognize that we are deeply united with all creatures on our way to your infinite Light.
Thank you, because, you are with us every day. Please, encourage us in our struggle for justice, love and peace.
