Prophecy of a courageous presence

Rome (Italy). On 14 September 2021, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, the Chapter members live the first day of prayer in silence and listening to the Word.

In the morning at the prayer of Lauds, Fr. Erino Andrea Leoni SDB, aroused in the Chapter members the desire and commitment to enter the tabernacle of their heart to awaken the awareness of their own identity, which “in Baptism made them daughters of the Beloved who  has always chosen us to live the experience of service, strengthening hope and commitment to do whatever He tells us, listening to His voice in everyday life”.

Fr. Erino offered the first meditation on the theme “Prophecy of a courageous presence”, focusing on the identity of the Prophet, the one who speaks to proclaim the will of God for His people.

Called to be prophets. Fr. Erino analyzes the presence of Mary at the wedding of Cana, an active, attentive, close presence. “‘The Mother of Jesus was there.’ Mary is present, she walks, she is in our homes and this is the greatest gift for us, a gift of serenity and prophecy”.

Called to be among. Mary is close, she anticipates the needs to ensure the joy of the feast. That, ‘they have no wine’ is the invitation “to be present and to be the sacrament of the presence of Jesus, to be sensitive in our vision, in our listening, and in our words to the cry of the young”.

Called to the prophecy of You. Mary trusts her son and generates the prophecy of you, “do whatever He tells you”. “Prophecy is not only a significant presence, not even a vision and reading of reality. Rather, it is a courageous, active presence, a consequent decision, a passion that becomes action.” We are called to live the prophecy together, to “be a GIFT for others, a breath of God.”

Prophecy sustains our identity, our charismatic life. “Prophecy sets in motion, changes plans, becomes flexible, and allows itself to be redrawn in order to respond to the plan and word that has been given to it through the cry of the People entrusted to it.” Like Mary, we are called to be a welcoming, passionate presence, sensitive in taking care of others, anticipating needs, an agent who knows how to take risks and courageously seeks the good for all.

The assembly lives a time of silence, prayer, and Eucharistic adoration celebrating the gift of the Salesian charism. “Prophecy allows itself to be transformed … it responds to the Word that has been given to it through the different scenarios, realities, and contexts of the people who have been entrusted to us”.

In the afternoon, the priest resumes his reflection on the threefold dimension of our identity as Children of God. “Bridges between need and miracle. Baptism has made us priests, mediations between the cry of the poor, between the needs of young people and of our people and the miracle that only Jesus can perform. Servants become priests, priestly mediations to be mediations of the Mystery” called to live the gift as a mediation of service, by choice, in openness to God who also encourages us “to fill  the jars with water” that is, to joyfully live our specific mission of being signs of hope among the sisters and young women, docile to the task entrusted to us, with creative, full and gratuitous fidelity, and “they filled them to the brim”.

The day ends with the Eucharistic Celebration, giving praise to God for the gift of Identity, which in Christ makes us prophets of hope and of service, committed to being the sacrament of the presence of a God who is close and makes Himself a servant for love.

Flickr FMA – Days of prayer