Scripture:
Philippians 1:1-11
Psalm 111:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Luke 14:1-6
Reflection:
Friends and family alike often ask me: "Who are the Passionists? What do they do?" Here is one of the best descriptions I have found of the Passionist Charism…the gift The Passionist Community brings to the Church, the Body of Christ, world-wide.
A Passionist Heart
A life-giving gift, our Charism
-Experiencing the Passion of Jesus-
Draws us into the Heart of God.
It enables us to be who we are,
And if the foundation of all that we do.
For it is by entering into the pain and suffering of Jesus
That we are strengthened to enter into our pain and suffering,
And so we are able to stand with others in theirs.
Although the Passion of Jesus offers no hope without the Resurrection,
This Resurrection Hope cannot be experienced unless first we are
Willing to stay with the suffering.
When God is discovered in the ordinariness of life,
The Charism and inspiration given to St. Paul of the Cross
remain alive.
The Spirituality flowing from the Charism
Enables us to enter into relationships that
May not otherwise be humanly possible.
It thus creates and is sustained by a sense of community
And expresses itself in empathy, depth of prayer,
Down-to-earthness and a willingness to be vulnerable.
P.S. I want to thank our Passionists brothers at Mount Argus Parish, Dublin Ireland for this wonderful reflection.
Patrick Quinn ([email protected]) is the director of Planned Giving at the Passionist Development Office in Chicago.