Sr. Rani Kurian DW Congregational Leader
“If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us.” 1 Jn 4 : 12
Since a few months we have been living through a lot of uncertainties, fears and loss. It has also been a time that has united us and brought us together to hear the voice of Wisdom calling us to build life- giving communities in order that we may seek Wisdom together and reveal her wherever we are present. From the busy days of ministry outside, we are hearing a renewed call to love one another within the community, to
build healthy relationships, while not forgetting the call to find ever more creative ways of reaching out to our suffering brothers and sisters.
Wisdom calls us constantly to build life-giving communities where there is also place for compassion and reconciliation. Our life witness itself becomes a mission when we love and care for one another and celebrate the events that bring life and joy in the community. Isn’t the best opportunity to be a way of Wisdom first of all within our communities where we live?
At this time we need each other, we need to express our care and concern for one another to go through this difficult moment that we are faced with directly or indirectly. I remind you once again the invitation of Pope Francis, “not to forget that Jesus asked his disciples to pay attention to details:
The little detail that wine was running out at a party;
the little detail that one sheep was missing;
the little detail of noticing the widow who offered her two small coins;
the little detail of having spare oil for the lamps, should the bridegroom delay;
the little detail of asking the disciples how many loaves of bread they had;
the little detail of having a fire burning and a fish cooking as he waited for the disciples at daybreak.” 1
Today, as we are confined in our communities or in our place of mission we are encouraged to be attentive to the many little details like a word of comfort, a smile, and a gesture of thoughtfulness that can comfort, encourage and support one another.
When we see thousands of our brothers and sisters that are being affected by the Pandemic; the pain and sorrow of losing our own sisters , family members, friends, colleagues; the financial difficulties to carry out our mission, the list can go on and on…. where can we find hope and meaning for our life?
Faced with all these questions, uncertainties and pain, I turned to God to have courage and faith. The message I received from my Sisters in Italy, who were going through a greater suffering at that moment, strengthened my faith and challenged my call as a Daughter of Wisdom. “ We offer our sufferings, our anxieties, our fears for those sisters who suffer and are deprived of fundamental rights in the world”. Taking
risk for one’s own life, they stood by each other caring for one another. Even in their distress, they were not forgetting the people who suffer, but rather uniting themselves, till the last breath, with all of them. It was with tears in my eyes that I read their messages; a time when I thought to give them courage, they challenged me with my commitment to reach out to others who suffer and to be a beacon of hope to one
another.
At the General Chapter 2018 we acknowledged that “this is a historical moment in the life of the Congregation, all Entities are in a movement of transition.” 2 On the other hand the whole world has entered into a movement of transition through pain and suffering. As Daughters of Wisdom what is the historical moment which we are called to live at this time while keeping our eyes on a different but better future?
1)Apostolic exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate (Rejoice and be glad) No 144
2) Acts of the Chapter 2018
