FAITH GROWS EVERYDAY: REFLECTION

Faith and Salesian consecrated apostolic life

Korean mediation 2012 (written after annual retreat preached to the Salesian confreres during the New year break 2011-2012 at Naeri, South Korea)

One of the last sharing during a lifetime of late Fr. Marc Cuvelier with the Salesian Family members before he passed away was about his favorite prayer. He was enthusiastic to share his preference for the Apostolic creed. When asked some years ago about the major challenges or problems in Salesian life and mission, his cute answer or better his life diagnosis was simple: the worst are faithless religious.

Follow up:

Yes - Pray with the whole heart the profession of faith, when you are on the wheelchair approaching the death moment, it’s a sign of deep relation to God.

Yes - What helps the seventy young Vietnamese missionaries spread in five continents to keep up with the huge challenges of languages, cultural shock, inculturation or other difficulties in their first years of not easy missionary life – is their close relationship with Jesus, in the Eucharist and Confession, in the Rosary or in the meditation.

Yes - There are many temptations and challenges in the present religious life: slowly giving up prayer life, meditation (with excuse or apostolic work) leading towards a slow path of secularization in different ways, letting the (Confucian) culture take over the Salesian Charism (seniority over obedience to the Spirit or Constitutions, similar age relations over the provincial community fidelity) and so on. The common point is Jesus Christ relationship.

Yes - There are different worries about life witness, lack of credibility in different ways (minimalistic approach in prayer or religious life, drinking, dinner outings from the community, accommodation to easy life, too close relationship with the benefactors – golf, home visit), but these are according my humble opinion only secondary elements.

What are the roots? How long is the path from a zealous young Salesian religious ending in these and similar life style and situations? What can we trace as prevention or way out?

Maybe lack of fraternal correction, being not humble enough to listen the voice of younger confreres or superiors indications, mechanic prayer life (not even lips are moving, singing jus the first stance of the hymn, praying only 2nd Eucharistic prayer daily). We can sum up. Life called ‘consecrated’ , but lived without a spirit of awakening, without ongoing formation without a daily new answer to the call of God, is a contradiction...
Faith is a living relationship with Jesus, if not nurtured every day, dries up and dies.
Faith is a living relationship with others, if not shared every day, withers and weakens.

Salesian consecration is starting from loving initiative of God, his Holy Spirit in our lives.
Salesian vocation is an ongoing personal answer to God’s call, as we can trace out in the Memoirs of the Oratory, a personal faith – confession of Don Bosco.
Salesian mission is about a deep faith awareness being sent by God, through the Salesian Congregation in the Salesian community of brothers chosen by God and sent for the youth.

What does happen if one confrere does not care about this vital connection and gets mislead to the professional, apparently highly visible and socially rewarding work (usually connected with the public funding) and not looking first on the evangelical significance of the work (would be not the first priority ‘ad gentes mission’ in some nearby Asian country or poor youth or migrant workers related humble and patient work?

Faith factor means deeper meaning factor,
Faith means also listening and replying culture,
Faith means missionary culture…

Contemplating the picture of a Kenyan youngster gazing at the casket of Don Bosco.
Don Bosco before his departure for paradise did regret his 'little faith'.

My good Lord, strenghten my little faith!

Saint John Bosco, pray for us!

"People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out,
but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within." (Elizabeth Kubler Ross)

“Faith makes all things possible.... love makes all things easy.”

"unload all your burden on to him, since he is concerned about you" (1Peter 5:6)

PRAYER VITAMINS

~ Prayer Vitamins ~
Anxious- Take Vitamin A
"All things work together for good for those who love God,
who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

Blue- Take Vitamin B
"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is
within me, bless His Holy name." (Psalm 103:1)

Crushed- Take Vitamin C
"Cast all your care on Him, because he cares for you."(1Peter5:7)

Depressed- Take Vitamin D
"Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8)

Empty- Take Vitamin E
"Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with
praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name." (Psalm 100:4)

Fearful- Take Vitamin F
"Fear not, for I am with you, do not be afraid,
for I am your God." (Isaiah 41:10)

Greedy- Take Vitamin G
"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together, running over, will be put unto your lap; for the
measure you give will be the measure you get back." (Luke 6:38)

Hesitant- Take Vitamin H
"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of
the messenger who announces peace, who brings good
news, who announces Salvation, who says to Zion,
'Your God reigns.'" (Isaiah 52:7)

Insecure- Take Vitamin I
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."(Philippians 4:13)

Jittery- Take Vitamin J
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."(Hebrews 13:8)

Know nothing- Take Vitamin K
"Know this that the LORD is God, it is He that made
us and not we ourselves. (Psalm 100:3)

Lonely- Take Vitamin L
"Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."(Matthew 28:20)

Mortgaged- Take Vitamin M
"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is
made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Nervous- Take Vitamin N
"Never, no never will I leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)

Overwhelmed- Take Vitamin O
"Overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21)

Perplexed or puzzled?- Take Vitamin P
"Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the
world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be
troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)

Quitting- Take Vitamin Q
"Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong."(1 Corinthians 16:13)

Restless- Take Vitamin R
"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him." (Psalm 37:7)

Scared- Take Vitamin S
"Stay with me, and do not be afraid; for the one who seeks my
life seeks your life; you will be safe with me." (1 Samuel 22:23)

Tired- Take Vitamin T
"Those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall
run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

Uncertain- Take Vitamin U
"Understand that I am (the LORD). Before Me no God was
formed, nor shall there be any after Me." (Isaiah 43:10)

Vain- Take Vitamin V
"Vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.(Acts 5:16)

Wondering what to do?- Take Vitamin W
"What does the LORD require of you but to do justly, and to love
mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8)

Exhausted?- Take Vitamin X
"Exercise thyself rather unto godliness." (1 Timothy 4:7)

Yearning for hope?- Take Vitamin Y
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff,
they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4)

Zapped- Take Vitamin Z
"Zealous for good deeds." (Titus 2:14)

"SAYING THAT U HAVE NO TIME FOR FOLLOWING THE 'RIGHT' PATH IS LIKE SAYING, I AM TOO BUSY DRIVING, I DONT HAVE TIME TO STOP FOR GAS!, BUT U WILL HAVE TO, EVENTUALLY." (Robin S.Sharma)

Life reflections on reality

Someone has written these beautiful words. One must read and try to understand the deep meanings in them. They are like the Ten Commandments to follow in life all the time.


1] Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble; it is a "steering wheel" that directs us in the right path throughout life.

2] Do you know why a car's WINDSHIELD is so large & the rear view mirror is so small? Because our PAST is not as important as our FUTURE. So, look ahead and move on.

3] Friendship is like a BOOK. It takes few seconds to burn, but it takes years to write.

4] All things in life are temporary. If going well enjoy it, they will not last forever. If going wrong don't worry, they can't last long either.

5] Old friends are like Gold! New friends are Diamonds! If you get a Diamond, don't forget the Gold! Because to hold a Diamond, you always need a base of Gold!

6] Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, GOD smiles from above and says, "Relax, sweetheart, it's just a bend, not the end!

7] When GOD solves your problems, you have faith in HIS abilities; when GOD doesn't solve your problems HE has faith in your abilities.

8] A blind person asked St. Anthony: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision."

9] When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them; and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.

10] WORRYING does not take away tomorrow's TROUBLES; it takes away today's PEACE.