Last Friday September 23, the celebrations began in Rome on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Shalom Catholic Community. Members of the Community and the Shalom Work around the world will be able to follow the program live on YouTube.
Read also| The 40th anniversary icon “Jesus, the bridegroom who comes to meet us”.
The initial catechesis was based on the words of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, on humility. The event was attended by several priests, Bishops from different dioceses and also Friar Patricio Sciadini (OCD) who spoke on “Humility and Stupor.”
[More information on the special page].
- Humility comes from the contemplation of the Trinity, it is necessary to enter in the mystery of the Trinitarian communication: the Creator creates by sharing a part of himself, a part of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The three are one, they welcome each other in an integral way.
- If we do not understand this Trinitarian love, which is not selfish , which is a participatory love, we will not be able to understand our participation in this love that we contemplate, the love of this Trinity that loves us.
- Humility is the most important virtue for prayer, it makes us available and abandoned to listen to God’s will. Meekness and humility cannot be separated, they are twin sisters. The beatitudes are paths of humility.
- God loves us with his omnipotence, he loves us with his humility, he bends down to embrace us in His arms. This divine inclination is to conquer each one of us.
- It takes humility to evangelize, because evangelization is not theory, it communicates a living person: Jesus Christ. Consequently, it is necessary to be united and to know God to be able to speak of Him, because it is impossible to speak about something you do not know. You can only evangelize with what you have seen and experienced in your own flesh. That is why the strength that comes from God must be present in our life.
- Humility is not accepting what others say and being slaves of others; it is not lack of courage, that is slavery. Humility is the courage to say what is persistent, the humble are not afraid.
- The humble person does not “remove the carpet”, but “lays the carpet”, so that others may pass, is happy to give space to others, knows how to recognize the qualities of others and gives encouragement, courage and hope.
- Mary was humble and said “Fiat”. She was obedient to God’s will. She teaches us to love and to be obedient, she shows us that obedience is to trust in the omnipotent capacity of God and to know that He guides us, even if sometimes we do not know where.
- We have to know how to say to God “Here I am, let your will be done” and to put ourselves totally at the service of joy, to be available for everyone to cooperate with the Kingdom of God, as Mary did. Just as she got up and went to meet her cousin, showing us how humility is always linked to service, so we too are called by God to this path of littleness.
- Friar Patrício motivated each member of the Shalom family saying: Seek benevolence and meekness, they will lead you to true humility.
The morning ended with an Adoration to Our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom we offered our lives in prayer on this first day of meeting and catechesis. The adoration was motivated by asking Mary’s intercession to help us cultivate docility and humility and thus unite ourselves to the Will of the Father with her son Jesus.
Service
Shalom Convention 40 years
Date: September 23-28
Place: Rome
Theme: Shalom: Friends of God, Friends of the young and Friends of the poor.
More information: http://comshalom.org/40anos