CALL

Lk 6:12-19
Jesus calls 12 men - men who know the winds over the lake, the art of hoisting sail, men who know when the night is rebellious and above all men who have learned to hang in there, clinging to hope till morn for a catch. To such men the word was entrusted; through their hands, the word will become flesh and history. The word with a name and a face - Emmanuel, God-withus - will be with them. All it takes is the leaving - family/father and fortune, past and future. He calls us. Ours is not to ask whether we have it in us to respond; ours is not to examine whether we are worthy of it; ours is not to worry about the frailty of our freedom nor our capacity to commit a lifetime. Ours is to follow; in following is the understanding; it is on the road the agonizing questions get answers. He catches them by calling them unlike the gurus and ideologies who dangle the bait to catch men and women trapped in the treacherous currents of meaningless lives. So he caught them without deceiving them unlike the PTL in US. He catches them by enlightening them with his truth and not manipulating them with movies, milk power or money; he catches them by fortifying with his spirit without doing violence as done during the crusades and to the natives of Americas. He catches them by setting them free. Jesus captures by captivating them. We are being seduced, but we shall become seducers. Not with pressure, slogans, and blackmail shall we catch them. But like lovers caught and not as fugitives (P 214, Thu 22nd Wk II LK 5:1-11) Anecdote: Tom Smith going to Africa after a rector, etc: Fair well: why, what will you do? He answered: I don't know what I will do; I don't even know where I'll be. But I'm excited about the prospect of going. I'm very enthused about it. Panikkar seems to have said about this freedom in Abraham. He did not know where he was going. That made him excited. Accompaniment: The whole gospel can be summed up in the one word, "accompanied." The NT writings have jealously reserved the use of this word to designate those who have given Jesus their whole existence. To accompany Jesus is to live with him, to pass one's time with him. It is in the intimacy of the common journey, of the shared table, of cares borne together, that familiarity is born. The disciple is a "companion" meaning, etymologically, one who shares the same bread.

Call- Prayers 4

(Tony Thampi K., c.s.c.)

Leader: Our response will be: Make us courageous and ready for your mission. (2 sisters can alternate and then the response) 1) You call us, like Eve, to co-create new worlds; 2) But we turn away and backslide into the comfortable and the certain. 1) You call us, like Miriam, to march for freedom; 2) But we turn away and glory in how far we have come, forgetting how far we have to go. 1) You call us, like Deborah, to judge our world, to make decisions, and offer counsel; 2) But we turn away and apologize for our anger and compromise our positions. 1) You call us, like Huldah, to do justice and love mercy; 2) But we turn away and practice our passivity, purity, and piety in domestic spheres. 1) You call us, like Naomi and Ruth, to love one another; 2) But we turn away and compete, taking vengeance on those most like ourselves. 1) You call us, like Mary, to be faithful bearers of your word; 2) But we turn away and strive to become perfectionists. 1) You call us, like Thecla and Phoebe, to begin a new church; 2) But we turn away and accept a place in the system, rationalizing the things in the way they are. 1) You call us, like ...(our foundress) to .................... 2) But we turn away................................................ Leader: Merciful Healer, we do not claim our gifts. We do not face up to your call. We do not appreciate your partnership in creating a new community and a new world. Today we repent. We turn from our old ways and commit ourselves to new partnerships for holding on and to new visions for a different heaven and earth.

(Tony Thampi K., c.s.c.)

Opening Day: Prayer Service

God our Creator, your son promised to be with all who gather in his name. Send your Spirit into the quiet of our hearts to rouse and challenge us. Call us to openness with one another and to a spirit of unity so that we may become one in you in compassion, honesty, and integrity by a search rooted in our prayer and common life. Heal our individual woundedness, past and present. As you forgive us, may we too learn to forgive others. Draw us together and transform us by your loving presence so that you may lead our province "in its efforts to listen and respond to the inspirations of the spirit, to the needs of the Church and to the signs of the times, and to promote unity of the Institute (Congregation) in its fidelity to the Gospel and to the spirit of ... our foundress. We make this... Let's now listen the Constitutions: Our Praise: Ps 116/12-17; Glory to... (Use Good News Bible and two persons can recite the verses alternatively) Intercessions: R/- Lord, bless our efforts 1) Despite the distances that separate us, let us be one in prayer and solidarity with our sisters throughout India and the world, we pray.. 2) Let us pray for our Pope John Paul II, Our Bishop Raul, our Superior General, Sr.... our Mother General and for all who minister to us in community, we pray.. 3) Let us pray for the poor, the homeless, the refugee, and all those who hunger for peace and justice, we pray.. 4) Let us pray for vocations to our Institute (Congregation) and to the
(Tony Thampi K., c.s.c.)

local church, we pray. 5) Let us pray that we may come to discover even more the gift of ... our foundress and ... (name the Congregation) to the Church and share that gift with all who collaborate with us in the fulfilment of our mission, we pray... 6) Let us pray for all the deceased of our Congregation, women who called us to walk in their company, we pray. Concluding Prayer: God of the four winds, at creation a mighty wind swept over the formlessness of the earth and brought forth abundant life. Into humankind you breathed the breadth of your spirit and set all people free. Even while your son slept in the tomb of death, a gentle breeze awakened him to the fullness of freedom - to eternal life. In your providential wisdom you chose ... (name the foundress) to found an apostolic religious community of sisters from humble beginnings. In our clumsy hands you have now placed the responsibility to design there the traits of...s vision and charism. Then place in our hands wounded with fear your spirit and grace. Let your spirit release our fears and your gentle breeze rustle our lives and awaken us to be faithful to the this vision and ideals, so that united in mind and heart, we may be a powerful witness in the service of the gospel. In boldness and timidity alike through searching and struggling, we may return you grace for grace. We ask this...

(Tony Thampi K., c.s.c.)