A talk given at the close of a Seminar-Workshop on Religious Formation July 20-27 1986, Antipolo, Manila
After reflecting on, and sharing about, our person dreams (i.e., our deepest longings, hopes and aspirations as individuals and as members of Religious Congregations), we proceeded to workshops in small groups and reflected on the dreams of the Filipino people at the present time: what are the deepest longings, hopes and aspirations of the people as a whole?
We used another word for these dreams: WAVES.
What are the waves in society that are seeking to surface in these times?” We also took note of attempts by the people to bring about the fulfillment of their dreams, to surface the waves that are as yet lying beneath the surface of society. We call these RIPPLES.
At the same time, we listed the various threats and resistances to these dreams/waves.
The questions we face are:
- As Religious Congregations are we numbered among the ripples or among the threats and resistances?
- Do our Religious Congregations assist in the surfacing of the wave or the suppressing of the wave?
- How can our initial and ongoing formation be a resource to help release, recover or affirm the Gift our particular Congregation is, or could be, to the people and society?
We are as GIFT to the people – to society – if we help to surface the wave. That is, if we help to catalyze in society a particular dynamic (wave) that is already existing, at times hidden, suffused, repressed.
In this perspective there is an essential connection made between a Religious Congregation – in its totality of life, mission and spirituality – and the existing social condition. When we reference the existing social condition we mean concrete events that are currently happening, but more particularly the underlying currents/surging in the society that find expression in particular events and that bring all events into relationship.
The basis of such a perspective lies in the historical perspective of the origins of our Congregations, that is, an examination and understanding of the origins of Religious Congregations in relation to the existing social conditions at the particular times Congregations were founded.
The proposal is this:
Religious Congregations in their origins were GIFTS SPRINGING FROM WITHIN THE PEOPLE AS A RESPONSE TO AND EXPRESSION OF THE DEEPEST LONGS, HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS OF A PARTICULAR SOCIETY WITHIN A PARTICULAR AGE.
Theologically it might be stated: Religious Congregations in their origins were not expressions of Divine Grace coming “out of the blue” with no respect to, taking no cognizance of the reality of society at a particular time.
Rather, they were expressions of the Spirit stirring within the depths of society – particularly in times of turmoil, crisis, upheaval – which stirrings brought forward from within society this particular GIFT, a catalyst for the overall advancement of society or for the advancement of society in a particular aspect.
Let us say something more about GIFT:
A gift is a catalyzer of a particular dynamic in society, which dynamic is already existing, thought in a hidden, suffused or repressed way. A gift is not something imposed from without, but arises from within as an expression of its deepest longings and hopes. (I am reminded of the words of the Christmas Carol: “… the hopes and dreams of all the years are met in thee tonight.”)
There is something – a dynamic – in society that is wanting to be released, and when the Gift surfaces it catalyzes or releases this dynamic to bring forth a movement, a step forward, a new growth in society. The Gift can surface in any sphere of society: the cultural, political or economic sphere or a combination of all, but it will actually have its affect on all spheres of life.
We can take a most recent example, that of Cory Aquino. Cory is a gift to society. She is a concrete expression of the deep longing for freedom, democracy and integrity without Filipino society. To that extent she was already existing in society in its dream, and she truly sprung from the people’s desire – evidence the millions of signatures – and she released the dynamic of People Power that had lain suffused and repressed for many long years. Hence, she truly became the Peoples’ President.
Another example is that of the poet. The poet is a gift to society, springing from the innate desire in society to explore deeper meanings, to dream, to confront, to go beyond mere words, to explore mysteries. The poet releases the spirit of society, its “soul”, its deepest feelings that are longing for expression.
We can view nationalist songs in such perspective: gifts springing from the people both as a response to and as a carrier of the deep longings and yearnings of a people. In such perspective we can look at relationships, science, technology, institutions, historical figures and events.
It can be recognized that whenever a gift seeks to surface from within society it is met invariably with resistance and opposition, sometimes with rejection and persecution. Hence we talk about people or discoveries that are “ahead of their times”. There are ideas, philosophies, theologies, scientific and technological discoveries that are rejected or scorned when they initially surface but at a later time are not only recognized but taken as commonplace. Such is the story of history. But the lesson is there, that not all gifts are immediately recognized as such, that it requires real discernment to see beyond surface realities and prejudices.
Speaking then of the founders of Religious Congregations, we can say they were people deeply sensitive to society, to the longings and hopes of people. In the terminology prompted by Vatican II, they read the signs of the times. Perhaps at times they did so intuitively, perhaps not consciously aware of their relationship to the hidden dynamics in society. In such cases all the more they are gifts.
Our founders were concrete expressions of a dynamic existing in a dormant and suffused way in society, and they helped release, set to motion what was lying hidden, waiting for release. In this they became of their times, people of history, an integral part of the ongoing evolution and advancement of society in history.
They did, so often, experience opposition expressed as ridicule, rejection and at times, persecution. Usually such is understood solely within the perspective of faith, but it can also be understood from the perspective of the innate resistances within the total society to change and development.
During the National Convention last week, we were able to spend time in our Congregational groups exploring this reality, asking the questions:
- Do you consider your Congregation as a GIFT, both in the original spirit expressed in the founder(s), and in its origin as a movement?
- To whom was it a gift and in what way was it a gift?
- And, in what way was this gift already existing in society?
Unfortunately, we do not have the time in this Seminar/Workshop to return to those questions; rather they can be taken back to your communities for further examination and discernment.
THE LOSING, CORRUPTION OF AND WEAKENING OF OUR GIFTS AS A CONGREATION
With the passage of time and the changing conditions of societies, Congregations can actually cease to be a Gift. More often the Gift is corrupted, weakened or diverted. We indicate some of the reasons this can happen.
- As a Congregation becomes successful and stabilized, it becomes institutionalized and formalized, possibly losing some of the courageous freedom of the founder(s). In its origin a Congregation responds to the surging hidden below prevailing economic, political and cultural conditions. With the passage of time, it is absorbed into the prevailing social conditions and ceases being part of the ripples to become part of the resistance.
- Tradition can be a resource or a block. This was taken up by Fr Ton Danenberg in his discourse on Spirituality. We can either stand on the shoulders of our founders and thus see farther, or we can stand in their shadow, refusing to be moved by them, this not being able to see as far as they could.
- There can be instances of internal intervention, wherein the gift is diverted or corrupted.
I cite the example of our own Congregation. In the last century a Fr Desurmont entered the Redemptorists, coming from the industrial bourgeoisie of France. Through a train of circumstances, he came to wield great influence over the whole Congregation.
For him it was essential for a priest to have a certain dignity – the dignity of the industrial bourgeoisie – so he could never consider actually living with and like the poor. For Alphonsus de Ligouri, it was essential to leave behind his own class and cross over to the other side, to actually live among the poor as one of them.
For Desurmont it meant a division between community life and apostolic life. For Alphonsus there was only one reality, the Apostolic Community.
For Desurmont, obedience became paramount, poverty more functional. For Alphonsus, poverty in fact was paramount, obedience functional, to ensure service to the poor.
The Redemptorists of this century were formed not in the spirit of the founder, but in the mindset of Desurmont. Through ongoing formation, we are now seeking to rediscover and reaffirm the Gift Alphonsus was.
- The changing conditions of society impact upon the way the Gift is expressed. For example, various Congregations were founded because there was no education or health service for the poor. Such Congregations began to find themselves in very different situations over time as national governments began to institutionalize education and heath services for all of society, providing relatively free and high-quality schools and hospitals.
We note here in the Philippines, such Congregations find themselves at the service of an elite minority. The really poor in the Philippines attend government schools and government hospitals. Only the more well-to-do can afford institutions run by Religious Congregations.
It is no easy task to negotiate such changed conditions.
- Congregations can become inward-looking, rather than outward-looking. In the face of challenge and new demands, they can take the easier part of protecting/securing what they already have rather than open themselves to more radical risks as did the founders.
The founders of course had nothing to lose in terms of the status, ministries, institutions that have developed during the course of time, and which we stand to lose.
Again, rather than being a Gift springing from the hidden, suffused surging in society, we can become an institution to serve the status quo and discover countless reasons to justify such, including appeals to the founder.
THE SHATTERING OF OUR ILLUSIONS
In examining the origins of or many and varied Congregations, there is one common element, though expressed in different ways. It is “consecration to God and service of the poor.” I say this is one reality, not two, because they are always intrinsically bound together in the charism of the founder and the original spirit of the Congregation as a movement.
It is a painful reality that in the Philippines, Religious Congregations are far from the poor. Regardless of the ministry we undertake in favor of the poor, we have to admit that in our lifestyle, our institutions, our security and comfort, in our separation and our dress, our investments and resources, we are far from the poor. We are middle class at minimum and part of the establishment which is a small minority of the population and much closer in outlook and values to the elite minority than the vast majority of the poor.
In the context of this painful realization, we have to ask “In what way and to whom are we Gift now?”. Whose longings, dreams, yearnings and aspiration do we have at heart, in actual fact? (As against our beautifully worded Mission Statements).
What do we understand of, in what way experience, the longings and yearnings of the poor? How can we when we live so far away from them?
In seeking to address these questions we can be locked up in so many illusions: about our mission work, our service to people, illusions about spirituality, prayer, liturgy. Illusions about God, Christ, the Holy Spirit. Illusions about society, about the reality of the poor, the causes of their poverty, the solutions to their poverty. For we are reading these realities from the viewpoint of middle-class people rather than from the viewpoint of the poor.
The Jesus Story is the story of the shattering of Illusions.
When we allow the Jesus Story to impact us, to shatter our illusions rather than domesticating whatever courage we have and confirming our existing illusions, then we will be open to hear the Story of the Poor in its graphic and total reality. As they can tell it.
Do we hear the Jesus Story differently from that perspective?
- Blessed are the poor …
- Law was made for man, not man for the law
- He who loses his life will save it …
- Unless you become like children …
- That “nothing good could come out of Nazareth” is a shattered illusion
Jesus shattered illusions in his choice of disciples, in his mixing with the outcasts, his healing on the Sabbath, his relationships with sinners. He shattered the final great illusion about death in his Resurrection. All things become possible, the future is open!
When our illusions are shattered by the Jesus Story, our world begins to fall apart, we are vulnerable, no longer so assured. In our vulnerability and our existence as “Religious” threatened, we can continue to exist in a limited way, forever clutching t whatever minor illusions we can pick up on our dying journey, illusions that will protect us from facing reality.
OR … we can, in our vulnerability, become open in a new way to the Spirit. Was this not what St Paul referred to when he wrote: “It is when I am weak that I am strong”? (2 Corinthians 12: 7-10)
The poor have so few illusions because they are so vulnerable. Consecrated/Ordained church people – as we all are – can carry so many illusions because we are so strong, so certain, strengthened by too many sureties which we call in our presumptions the sureties of God.
When, and if, our illusions are shattered and if we are open to the Spirit, we can be led into new freedoms.
For your consideration, I propose a particular framework of the FOR FREEDOMS OF THE SPIRIT.
FREEDOM OF AWARENESS
We grow into a new awareness of all things: of ourselves, our relationships, our commitments, our theology and ideology. There develops a new awareness of social conditions, of the poor and their aspirations, of new modes of acting and responding. This Freedom brings us into an authentic relation to reality
FREEDOM OF CREATIVITY
In seemingly inhuman situations we can be free to invent our humanness. We recognize how the Founders of our Congregations possessed this freedom, with courage and humility. They dared dream dreams and were prepared to pay the price to fulfill them. The reverse is in those descendants of the founders who are reduced in their whole life, enslaved to structures and routines which cease to embody the creativity and innovative spirit of the founder.
FREEDOM OF RESPONSIBILITY
To no law, structure, principle or authority can you escape or withdraw. If you are called by the Spirit and accept freedom of responsibility, you have no justification for not responding. This is the moral ground of true inner freedom.
FREEDOM OF OBLIGATION
We desire to act on what ought to be done. This is the basis for final accountability
