Characteristics of our way of proceeding [CG 34]
Introduction
Who is a Jesuit? We have got numerous answers to this particular question. According to me a Jesuits is, the one who is sent, the one who is able to listen to the cry of the helpless people, and ultimately the one who has a personal love for Jesus Christ. As I was reading the conclusion part from the GC34 and the Decree form the GC 35, I was quite impressed and taken up by the characteristics of our way of proceeding, because I firmly believe that they are the back born of our way of proceeding as a Jesuit in the Society today.
1) Deep personal love for Jesus Christ:
2) Contemplative in Action:
3) An Apostolic Body in the church:
4) In solidarity with those most in need:
5) Partnership with others:
6) Called to learned Ministry:
7) Men sent, always available for new
8) Ever searching for the Magis:
I accept and believe in “our way of proceeding” because this is the way in which
1. Deep personal love for Jesus Christ:
It all depends up on my won vocation, self discipline and personal experience. For what I am called, for whom I am disciplined, and what does my personal experience communicate to me. There is no point in criticizing others, structures, and atmosphere. If a person is Christ cantered, nothing will block the person to do the will of God. The very example of our founder who always found ways and means to fulfil the will of God inspires me in my religious life. Why people find it very difficult to accept and obey the will of God, because they lack the personal love of Jesus Christ. Those are the people who have diverted their priority toward the worldly way of life.
2. Contemplative in Action
Contemplation is to look at, observe, ponder and see the possibilities, of something or some body in a silent or a meditative manner. To contemplate while acting is something very distinctive act of St.Ignatius and of the Jesuits. The result of contemplation is action packed with love. An action packed with love would ultimately culminate in contemplation. A constant interplay between purification, illumination and communion marks a Jesuit way of proceeding. The actions of course are not any action but a concrete response to the specific needs of the people on our context- Where I am called to serve!
I believe that once I am aware that the Grace of God is alive and active in me, I can not but respond to a situation concretely and effectively as prophets did. I also believe that the very action itself is the way of expressing my image and likeness of God . Through action I partake or join the creative work of God. I become a co-creator. As Gandhi termed it as ‘work is worship’. If I do every work as if it’s a worship, it will certainly have a positive impact on me as well as on others. So action in contemplation will create heaven on this earth, which we could very clearly see in Jesus’ life and also St.Ignatius’ life. This is what contemplation means in short ‘finding the will of God’.
3. An Apostolic Body in the church:
We are called ‘Friends in the Lord’ because even though we are many we are expected to be united in one mind and in one heart in order to serve more meaningfully. This is what St. Ignatius wished for all of us. The diversity that we have today of language, culture, nationality should add to the strength of the unity. We are all called by Jesus and all of us have determined to work for the greater glory of God, to make the world a place where all human beings can be fully alive and active.
Today I see in our province the richness of this element. We are comprised of members from various states of
4. In solidarity with those most in need:
St.Ignatius envisaged himself and his companions working with the powerful, and the powerless, rich and the poor, kings, bishops as well as with the people on the street and the victims of the plague. Ministry among the rich and powerful helped and supported the Jesuits to do ministry among the poor and the voiceless.
The recent few General Congregations namely 32, 33, 34, and 35 stressed on ‘Option for the Poor’, ‘Challenges to our
I feel we Jesuits in
5. Partnership with others:
Vatican II emphasised on “participatory Church”. GC35 also very concretely focuses on ‘Collaboration at the Heat of
The other reality is that people who opt for priesthood or for religious life is becoming lesser and lesser. Therefore in our net-work we need to incorporate the lay people. In
Secondly by sharing our work with them, we break the myth of ‘call to priesthood or to religious life is greater’ than other ways of life and our collaboration with others reinforce our collective mission that every one is called to work for the
6. Called to learned Ministry:
Today the science, technology, mass media-communication etc have reached beyond what the humanity have ever imagined. People have access to know history, data, cultures etc. We need to be at least equally intelligent and well informed to work with them and serve them. We need to be learned so as to appreciate the scientific, technological development, and at the same time critique and eliminate the negative impacts that these media have over the people and on the society.
Today many Indian Christian theologians have pointed out the reason why the Christianity did not spread in
7. Men sent, always available for new
It’s indeed the Charism of Jesuits to venture out for new missions. We have so many saints and martyrs who have lost their lives in building new missions. In
On the other hand I would like to reflect on this Charism of availability that was very dear to our Father Ignatius and the first companions. In our province, the availability does not seem to be our hallmark. Some of our Jesuits are requested, pleaded to shift and go to a new place by the provincial. It is a pity that the provincial does not know what to do with some of our Jesuits. I wish and pray that each of us get back to this Charism of being available for the new mission and make Jesus known to the people through our words and deeds.
8. Ever searching for the Magis:
The attitude of Magis is the marrow in our every activity. We Jesuits are not satisfied with the ‘minimum or enough’ measures. Mediocrity does not have place in Jesuits’ life.
I am personally attracted towards this attitude and it is a characteristic mark of being a Jesuit. “The greater”, “The more”, always keep me alert, and giving myself more and more to given mission. The concept that there is always greater or more to what I have already done spiritually encourages me to do more for the Lord and to the poor. It is this magic Magis that works wonders in us and in our way of proceeding.
Conclusion
Rather it is easy to read and reflect but it is very difficult to put them into practice. We the Jesuits are called to be extraordinary, exemplary, take up challenges, forgiving, encouraging, obedient, collaborating, and engage in the frontier missions. All this will be fulfilled if one only we are committed to Jesus’ way of life and His values. This demands a life based on ‘Christ centered life’. If we are Christ centered then no one can inject or feed us with wrong information. We will be able to behave, talk, and relate with others , with full freedom and confidence.
