Rome , December 1, 2006
Prot. N. 247/2006
A child is born for us, a son given us (Is. 9:5)
My very dear friends,
Once again in our liturgy we hear this great proclamation contained in the words of the prophet Isaiah.
A proclamation that fills us with joy because it speaks about a gift that is given to us, a gift of life that is given us. It is given to us “so that we may have life and that in abundance” (Jn. 10:10), but also because it speaks our language, it is comprehensible, it is vested with our weakness and doubt and hopes; it is vested in our “flesh”. The “flesh” of a baby speaks to us of an defenseless life, one that does not threaten, is meek and mild, is filled with peace.
This is the way God chose to speak to us and reconcile the world to himself. This child born for us is the proclamation, the herald of the proclamation, the Gospel, the missionary.
How is it possible not to hear in the proclamation a response to mankind's questions and fears? a response to the sometimes anguish-filled questions about peace, dignity of life, about the satisfaction of essential needs, about respect and love for so many brothers and sisters, about meaning and hopes of so many young people?
In wonder, we open our hearts up to this mystery, we make room for it with a welcome that enables life, peace, and Himself to grow in us.
As a congregation we celebrated a General Conference this year at which we wished to emphasize the absolute urgency of disseminating the proclamation of which Isaiah spoke: the Word made flesh, the Good News called Jesus.
This proclamation implies “a bond between the one who proclaims with the one Jesus who is the Word of God,” a “life that in its style is moderate and sharing,” a “sense of fraternal communion as a mission,” a taking part in the sufferings of the world, and especially of the poorest of the poor,” a “living out an exodus from oneself to arrive at authentic freedom” (cf. nn. 3-4, Orientations of the VII th General Conference).
From the very beginning of the congregation, Fr. Dehon made the proclamation of the Gospel the center of his life, as did so many of us who followed him. This is a grace experienced by many of our brothers who today continue enthusiastically to do so and to proclaim the Good News of Jesus, who by his incarnation is come among us with an open heart and in solidarity. Thank you, because it is by acting in this fashion that we receive this “child born for us”.
Thank you to all those who, in their weakness or illness, in their sufferings of doubt or solitariness, in the limitations of their resources or living conditions, nonetheless remain proclaimers of the “child born for us” who is equally “ admirable councilor, God almighty, Father forever, Prince of peace (Is. 9:5).
As we get closer to the end of this year, we want to thanks to all those who are involved in activities at the congregational level or in inter-provincial projects. In addition to the already mentioned General Conference, we want to mention the formation program in which 20 younger religious from 15 different countries which permitted time for personal growth, for learning about our spirituality, and for helping others in turn follow the Lord. Thank you too to those who were involved in opening up new missionary projects or in houses of international formation. These are all signs that we take the duty of proclamation seriously, signs that “this child who is given to us” permits us to grow as family and overcome any borders that are constructs of our nationality or culture.
A new year is about to begin; we wish to continue along the path we have chosen, confident that the Lord will accompany us and that his presence will lighten our footsteps, enrich our undertakings, and bring to successful conclusion the good works begun by Him and desired by us.
Best wishes to everyone of you: may the words we use like life, joy, wonder, tenderness, generosity, enthusiasm, brotherhood be actual experiences that refresh and provide support in our following of Jesus the Savior, “the child who is born for us.”
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Fr. José Ornelas Carvalho, scj
Superior General
with his Council
