Nazareth
A charism of Brother Charles DeFoucauld (1858 - 1916)
Retirement
has changed my life dramatically. Most of my life has been dictated
by Diocesan or Parish administration . But now I’m on my own. I
need to commit myself to something or Someone that involves truth,
beauty and life. The familiar and past life is not here. I need
to surrender to the Ultimate more than what I ever did while being
in the active ministry. That answer is Nazareth.
Nazareth
is a contemplative life style.
...
It is live life like Jesus.
... It is to be a presence of prayer in my place of residence.
... It is to be a “brother” to those are are excluded - like SCI
(prisoners).
... It is to be God’s love in the streets, neighborhoods, kitchens,
fields, streams, woods where others live or exist.
... It is to identify with God and people - the horizontal / vertical
relationship.
... Nazareth is a shared existence of day to day living.
... It is the mystery of the immanence and transcendence of God
right here and now.
... It is being accessible to God and others
... It is a Christian / Catholic presence in ordinary life
... It is being God’s presence in Girard (my town) and Erie (my
diocese)
... Nazareth is not a geographical territory but a present reality
to live life extraordinarily ordinary!
Nazareth
is not a romantic existence at being a carpenter or a priest etc.
It is a spirituality of being hidden and allowing God to work in
us / me. We grow and develop as in a family. Nazareth is to live
extraordinarily ordinary. It is to allow the incarnation to be born
within our being. Life is influenced by the environment, culture,
geography, history, etc. Nazareth is to be present to all of this.
So Nazareth is not passion, death and resurrection but living right
now - in the present! It is a surrender to God along with limitations
to be accepted.
Here
are the ingredients of Nazareth:
S
= silence S = stillness P = praise P = ponder S = surrender S =
submit
Let
God be in charge. Nazareth is a place / space of healthy relationships
and faithfulness. Nazareth is fraternity at its finest.
