Bits of the Gospel

Lenten Reflections: Holiness as our Mission Statement (Acts 4:32-37). Introduction Today, I propose a reflection a little different from yesterdays. What are the characteristics proper to a Cottolengo Missionary? And on the other hand, what are the ideals of a Cottolengo Missionary? The following, I am convinced, are some of the essential characteristics of a Cottolengo Missionary: - One called by the Love of God to follow Christ in the Little House of Divine Providence, also called Cottolengo, and sent by her into particular missions. When Cottolengo started sending sisters to the provinces of Italy, he chose to enter into official agreements with dioceses and parishes. He demanded that the priests respect the particular life of the sisters. This was to safeguard their identity from influences that would water down their particular formation and spirituality. Today, this kind of risk is always high. Our duty as Cottolengo followers is first of all to be a different presence for ...

Centered on Divine Providence (Mt. 6:31-34). Introduction This evening our series of reflections will be a look into our activities as people called to live charity as a witness to the love of God the Provident Father. I know we all will see that we want to focus on Divine Providence as the Key to Cottolengo Spirituality but also as part of Christian living. What aspects should be reflected in our work so that all our institutions, our activities and our plans appear as the work of Divine Providence? In other words, what are the characteristics proper to Cottolengo institutions, to people who live a spirituality centered on Divine Providence? Let’s try to analyze some. 1. A Cottolengo institution that is founded on the Divine Providence recognizes God as the principle cause and the human person takes the role of “the manual labourer”, in terms used by Cottolengo Himself. This does not mean that the human person is untrained while God is the absolute expert. No. It rather means t...

Missions and Adventures: Lenten Reflections 3: The Word

God, our Father, You have chosen us for your own nation; And we your people, pilgrim on earth, Look forward to meeting you in heaven. We bring our deepest desires, our love for you. While we want to understand life in a flash, You want us to go step by step every day, And our patience, tested, tried and proved worth, Finally cools down and hears your word, Which comes in bits too! O Lord, you who give us all our needs, Continue guiding us every day, With those bits which are enough for the day. O Lord, drive us to your bosom, With your word applicable for the moment. Amen!

Introduction Recently, Polycarp Cardinal Pengo, the Archbishop of Dar Es Salaam, called Christians to repent and review their ways of life. His homily, preached at “Pugu Martyrs” pilgrim site, was taken up by several media houses. The reason why they focused on it might not be so obvious but his call was clear. “God is inviting us for the safety of our souls so that everybody is involved directly in hearing His word and change his ways for us to be saved,” he said. He has earlier insisted, “I will continue to denounce every evil done by leaders [politicians] who are in the government now, even if it means I have to die fighting for the truth, I am ready.” This call to change, together with my previous reflection on penance and reparation calls for this question: how shall we “change our ways”? How to Practice Penance and Reparation We have come to the third and, in a way, most important part of our subject: How? I say it is the most important because we could talk for hours about t...

Penance and Reparation: A Lenten Meditation Introduction It is lent. Lent is a period of penance and reparation, made visible in deeper prayer, more sacrifices, and a sense of responsibility shown in alms giving. Lent is also a period of many other forms of mortifications which are our own way of getting into terms with the fact of our faith. In order to better understand the meaning of penance and reparation, let us have a look at what happens whenever we sin. Several things happen but I will focus on two: • First: we bring upon ourselves guilt before God for the self-will that caused us to sin. We become more or less at odds or estranged from God, depending on the magnitude of our sin. • Second: We deserve punishment for the disorder we cause by our sinful conduct. We become liable to suffering pain, again more or less pain, depending on how seriously we have done wrong. What is the meaning of Penance? What do we mean by the term reparation? • Penance is the atonement we must...