{"id":2526,"date":"2015-12-13T17:14:54","date_gmt":"2015-12-13T10:14:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cm-indonesia.org\/?p=2526"},"modified":"2015-12-14T09:39:05","modified_gmt":"2015-12-14T02:39:05","slug":"for-vincentians-the-door-opens-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cm-indonesia.org\/?p=2526","title":{"rendered":"For Vincentians, the Door Opens Out"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cHey buddy, the door swings both ways!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0Often said in anger, this phrase can be a push to us Vincentians. Today is the day that the \u201cHoly Door<\/a>\u201d opened on a year mercy. Are we ready? It\u2019s also the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Do we contemplate and understand this mystery?<\/p>\n

\u201cSome might be inclined to think that something like the Immaculate Conception made things much easier for the Mother of God, and in this regard, I think such folks would be mistaken. The Immaculate Conception was not a kind of decorative accessory, but a reality that would be essential for the Mother of God to fulfill her mission. It would express itself in a capacity to love that would have far exceeded our own. And this would not have made things easy.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Fr. Steve Gunow of\u00a0Word on Fire ministries<\/a>\u00a0wrote this in a reflection for last year\u2019s feast of the Immaculate Conception. It has haunted me for a year now, and I don\u2019t think it\u2019s going away. I spend more than a few hours every Advent trying to be truthful about myself \u2013 about my adequacy and inadequacy, about the darkness and light within, about the sin and the grace which I experience. Of all the missionary virtues of St. Vincent (cf. Maloney,\u00a0The Way of St. Vincent de Paul<\/a>) humility is the virtue most necessary. When we draw close to the impoverished person, the marginalized person, it often exposes sides of our character that we\u2019d rather not encounter. Have you ever felt that way?<\/p>\n

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Vincent taught,\u00a0\u201cFor, take my word for it, it\u2019s an infallible maxim of Jesus Christ, which I\u2019ve often proclaimed to you on His behalf, that, as soon as a heart is empty of self, God fills it. God remains and acts in it; and it\u2019s the desire for shame that empties us of ourselves; that\u2019s humility, holy humility. Then it won\u2019t be ourselves acting but God acting in us, and all will go well. (SV-11:281)<\/em>\u00a0So, don\u2019t get stuck in your inadequacy. As we were taught on a Catholic Vocation Network retreat recently, \u201cWe\u2019re all inadequate.\u201d So, what to do? As we begin this Year of Mercy, let\u2019s remember that for Vincentians, the holy door opens OUT. I chose the image leading off this post as an image of being on the inside looking out, as if I was poised to move (thanks for the photo on Facebook, David Serrano, C.M.) As we walk out the door, we can\u2019t forget to ask ourselves, \u201cWhat is the relationship between justice and mercy? This is not merely a speculative question; it goes to the heart of many of our activities as human beings in both our personal and social relationships. How can I live with my fellow human beings in ways that are both just and merciful?\u201d Terry A. Veling\u2019s\u00a0The Beatitude of Mercy<\/a>\u00a0is a fine treatment of this question (quote from the book jacket<\/em>) So, out we go,<\/p>\n