To be with Him and to be sent out

The beginning of a new year is an obvious time for a 'review of life' exercise. This is more than a formality. The quality of our life and mission depend on it. For this reason, our Constitutions require that our commitments be "continually evaluated in the light of our spirit, of the needs and mission of the Church and of our own missionary tradition" (CS 23). From this it is clear that a review of life is not a look at ourselves in isolation, but also as part of the world in which we live.
Father Chevalier's vision of a missionary society came to him when he was a seminarian. Ten years ago while still at the Major Seminary, I was reflecting on the disorders consuming society and I thought, or rather God inspired me with the thought, of founding a community of missionary priests who would work to put them right. (personal Notes, p. 106)
Our MSC religious life is essentially part of our mission. We have not become religious simply as a means of becoming a priest. It is not something we can forget about once we are ordained. Our vow of poverty, for example, is essentially a way also in which we live our priesthood. This applies to us not only as individuals but also as communities. Our Constitutions make this very clear. And it has to be a regular part of our revision of life.
Each community, through regular revision of life, will examine before God the manner in which the vow of poverty is being lived; especially with regard to the following points: responsibility concerning goods of the community; simplicity of life; a sense of work; the quality of their sharing with the poor as well as with other communities and the missions; their sense of social justice. In order that our detachment may be real it must be collective as well as individual. CS 127.
Our life as prayerful religious is an essential element in our apostolic life and is not to be separated from it. If we are not in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord- which is the essence of prayer -it is impossible for us to be sent as he was sent: As the Father has sent me, so I send you (In 20:21).
CS 145 gives us much to think about in this regard.
Our prayer life will foster that religious spirit which enables our consecrated life to be truly apostolic witness. CS 145.1
Apostolic action pertains to our very nature as a Society dedicated to works of the apostolate. For this reason, our whole life is to be imbued with an apostolic spirit, just as all our apostolic actions are to be animated by a religious spirit. CS 145.2
This apostolic and religious spirit requires that each community, in the light of the gospel and our charism, constantly evaluate the apostolic works in which its members are engaged. CS 145.3
All of us without exception, as individuals and communities, have to enter seriously into this review of life. It is not meant to be a burden, but a step towards greater contentment for all in our life and mission.
All religious are ‘in formation’ until they die (Canon 661). Some are in initial formation; others in ongoing formation. Both are equally serious. These two types of formation differ but there is continuity between them. Those in initial formation are being prepared for the active apostolate; those in ongoing formation have to live, in a new situation, the religious life they learnt in the novitiate and Scholasticate.

A PRIVILEGED MEANS TO TRANSFORM THE WORLD CS 36

My vows are not a private matter in my life; they are public vows. Before God and the Church I have publicly declared that this is the way I intend to live in carrying out the mission of the Church.
By obedience, I have publicly put myself at the service of this particular community in imitation of Christ's own obedience and in order to further his mission.
By chaste celibacy, I have made my family both this community and those to whom I am sent. (cf Mt 12:48t)
By poverty, I say to this community, all I possess or will possess is yours (CS 242) and commit myself to simplicity to life.

THE GREATEST AMONG YOU WILL BE YOUR SERVANT (Matthew 23:11)

The radical interpretation Jesus gave of the exercise of authority is simply an application of his command after washing the feet of his disciples: I have set you an example that you also should do as I have done to you. John13:15.
Father Chevalier always kept close to Jesus' idea of authority. His approach is to deal first with the spirit and unity of the Society, before dealing with authority in the abstract. Authority is not ‘over’ a community; it functions as one of the dynamics within the community. The Superior acts “as a brother among brothers” (CS 134).
The kings of the gentiles lord it over them; and those with authority over them are called benefactors (a common title for Caesars, princes etc.). But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at table? But I am among you as one who serves. Luke22:25-27.
Jesus does not get rid of authority or promote an egalitarian society. He describes how authority is to be used. It is not for the benefit and glorification of the one who has it, but for service of the community. This does not imply that roles are reversed and the community now ‘lords it over’ the Superior.
It does mean, however, that the primary service of religious authority is to preserve and promote unity within the community, so that the community can carry out its mission. Hence, authority has to be concerned not only about the welfare and conduct of each individual, but of each individual as a member of the community and of the responsibilities that flow from this.
Priests in general exercise authority in a variety of ways; and those in initial formation are being trained for leadership. All MSCs in authority, therefore, have an obligation to be role models of the Gospel for other members.
In a revision of life in this matter, it is important to begin with the words of Jesus himself and with our Constitutions which have been approved by the Church as an authentic expression of those words. I have heard other Congregations praise very highly the section dealing with this matter in our Constitutions 98-104; 133; 134. Everyone in authority should regularly reflect on those words.
From his first Rules and throughout his life, Father Chevalier recognized that a Superior is "head of the administrative authority" but stresses that "the Superior will distinguish himself from his brothers only by the prominence of his virtues without any other privilege except that of his primacy. He will have great charity for all of them. He will treat them with kindness, gentleness and cordiality. Rules Part One, Article 2, V,II. He does not see a Superior as exempt from obedience: in virtue of his vow, he should submit himself not only to the Rules but, in addition, to decisions of his Council. Chapter 3.1, V.

OUR MISSION: Concern for People

In any review of life, I think an effort has to be made to see ourselves as others see us. For example, we might say we are concerned for the poor, but we need to hear from the poor what they think about it. We may think we are living a simple lifestyle, but what do people think about that?
I have heard from so many people that they are impressed by our friendliness and approachability that I am convinced it is true. It is something we should be grateful for. At the same time, we should treasure it and be extra careful that it is not spoilt in any way but continues to grow. Often it can be easier to be friendly to people outside our community – people we don’t have to live with. The same is true at times of families. Father Chevalier wanted us “not to be outdone in charity and obedience”. The French text clearly refers this to our own brothers in the community.
At one time, some MSCs who opposed Father Chevalier wrote letters to the Archbishop of Bourges, Cardinal Boyer, accusing him of various wrongdoings. The Cardinal investigated the matter and became convinced the letters were based on false information. When the Cardinal died, the letters were handed over to Father Chevalier himself.
His assistant for thirty years, Fr Hériault, wrote,”The revenge the good Father took on his enemies was to welcome them with kindness and charity. He invited them to meals and treated them better than his friends. I have seen several of them at table with him who did not have the slightest suspicion that he had in his possession their letters denouncing him to Cardinal Boyer”.
The New Testament has many texts dealing with the way followers of Jesus should live in community. In this way they were making God's Kingdom present. The words of Jesus are clear in the Sermon on the Mount and elsewhere. We can use no better source for examining our conduct over the past year, thanking God for the times we have taken our direction from those texts, regretting when we have not, and making concrete resolutions both as individuals and communities for the coming year.
Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgive you. Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Eph 4:31-5:2.
The real test of our friendliness is not so much with our friends but with those we find it difficult to get on with. Jesus is quite clear on this point. If you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters what more are you doing than others? Do not even the gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 6:46-48. We are challenged to give an example of this to the world in our community life.

OUR MISSION: An Option for the Poor

The very fact that our mission is love means that we have to be deeply concerned about those who are not loved but on the contrary treated cruelly, oppressed, marginalized.
Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you? Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me “ (Matthew 25 :4-46)
How can God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses to help? (l John 3:17).
If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill”, and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead (James 2:15-17).
The acceptance of a parish in Bangalore was certainly a wise and important move, but in a sense it was not completely our initiative. The Archbishop made it a condition for establishing a community here – our formation house, Chevalier Bhavan. However, it is very much to the credit of Fr Malcolm that the first initiative of our own was to go to Kombayanpatty and our second was to Gengapuram; undertaken by Fr Tijo and his council. Both places are very poor, neglected, rural parishes. And the work that has been and is being done there is something we can be proud of. Our Mission Office also is doing a lot; and this will certainly continue to increase.
I wonder at times, however, about how much we, as a group, are sensitive about matters of justice in the world and particularly in India. Sometimes I get the impression that we are less caught up in this issue than some other Congregations. More worrying still for me is a feeling of my own responsibility in not promoting sufficiently this concern for justice issues by my own example.
Here again, I cannot legitimately focus on injustice in the world outside my community if I am not concerned about justice issues within it both local and Union. Nor can I get so caught up in injustices done to myself, that I forget about ways I am unjust to others.
Injustice can come in many forms. I may not give sufficient scope for others to change, but stereotype them with an attitude like Nathanael’s: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”
Injustice can often be done also by making judgments about others without having all the
facts and by not making an effort to ensure I get the other side of a story.. Very few people can say they have never been guilty of this. I certainly can't.
It is common today to associate justice with a concern for the integrity of creation. Our attitude to things in nature is often a reflection of our attitude to people. This sensitivity about our misuse and destruction of the material world God has given us is an area of growing concern throughout the world.

WHAT IS OUR SENSE OF MISSION AS MSCs?

This is basic. Our name tells us and others that we are missionaries. Father Chevalier chose that name deliberately. Our mission centres on proclaiming God's love for us. And we don’t do this in abstract ideas, but in the reality of God's gift of himself to the world in Jesus Christ, his Son, our Lord.
We proclaim this message of God's love not only in words and deeds directed to others. We do it primarily by the way we live. St Paul tells us if that is not there, "I am nothing" (1 Cor 13:1-3).
Father General has reminded us that the way we live our community life is itself an essential part of our mission to the world.We reflect on the evils of the world and we try to make sure that we are working against those evils in ourselves and in our communities. What right have we to preach love and unity to others if we are not genuinely trying to chieve that among ourselves?
We are all brothers, given to one another to live and work together for the sake of the Kingdom where justice and love will unite all people. Therefore, fraternal charity will be of basic importance in community life. CS 31.
At the same time, we have to admit that a human community is never perfect. That is why Jesus made forgiveness a central part of his message. It follows that without practicing forgiveness, we cannot preach love. Jesus lived that way and died that way.
There is much we can think about if we want to help set the world right. That is well worthwhile. But, at this time of the year, our effort should be to show the world how to live by creating a model for it in our own way of life.
There is also much I can think about concerning improving others in my community, both in the local community and also in the union community. This too is worthwhile, but at this time of the year our effort has to be to see what I have to do to contribute to building up the community.

Our MSC title (July 2007)

Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of JESUS

Our official title is Society of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In practice, the ‘of Jesus’ is not added; probably because it seems superfluous. There is some truth in that, but perhaps it is useful to remind ourselves at times that we are Missionaries of JESUS. His name says everything; it means Yahweh saves or has saved. What more can we say?

In an article in the French Annales (June, 1872), Fr Jouët felt it useful to remind readers that “the aim of devotion to the Sacred Heart is Jesus … We do not venerate his Heart on its own … It is Jesus whom we honour in his Heart” (p.128. Italics in the original).

Fr Jouët added also that we do not concentrate on Jesus in isolation, but that “through Jesus we adore and love God, the whole most adorable and holy Trinity, in him, through him and with him” (ib).

Bérulle accepted the significance of each of the events in the life of Jesus – his birth, infancy, hidden life, public life, death and resurrection – but they were not closed compartments. He saw them all as manifestations of the permanent essence of Jesus. For this reason, he received permission for his congregation, the Oratorians, to have a liturgical Feast simply in honour of Jesus; it was to incorporate all other feasts and celebrate the full reality of Jesus the Word incarnate.

Missionaries of the Sacred HEART of Jesus

When St John Eudes (1601-1680), a disciple of Bérulle, received approval for a liturgical Feast of the Heart of Jesus, he had the same intention. The feast was to sum up all the other feasts that honoured Jesus. The Heart of the incarnate Word added nothing to Jesus, but it helped us keep in mind the reality and depth of his humanity and that God’s Word to us in him is “God is love” (1 Jn 4:16).

In this context, the word ‘heart’ had wider significance than being merely a symbol of love. In the Bible, ‘heart’ is a word that describes the essence of a human person; in the eyes of God, the heart is the real person

(1 Sam 16:7). In this terminology, the Heart of Jesus is what makes Jesus to be Jesus. So when we missionaries of Jesus, say we are Missionaries of the Sacred HEART of Jesus, we have in mind the depths of the humanity of Jesus and the closeness of God to us in that humanity. For Father Chevalier, “Christ is the whole of God, his living sacrament, his complete gift, he is his Heart with which to love us” (Chevalier, Le Sacré Coeur de Jésus 146).

Missionaries of the SACRED Heart of Jesus

In the Bible, the heart is the special place where God meets us and we meet God (cf Is 29:13). It is a ‘sacred’ place. Consequently, the heart of Jesus is the most sacred of places. And we gladly call ourselves Missionaries of the most SACRED Heart of Jesus.

“The Heart of God descends in haste to his creation with the weight of an infinite love, and the heart of creation rises towards God, drawn by an attraction that dominates all others in it. It is in Jesus that these two hearts meet, and they unite so profoundly that the two hearts become one” (op.cit. p.76).

MISSIONARIES of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Contemplating Jesus pierced on the cross (Jn 21:34,37) Father Chevalier saw a “new world emerging”; he was convinced that, if we allowed it, this vision had power to change lives not only religiously but socially. Pope Benedict XVI has been re-echoing the same message to us in Deus Caritas est (nn.12, 28a). And on 24 May 2007 he urged the Italian Bishops to take Jesus to the world of our time: In June, he said much the same to a meeting of lecturers from Europe’s Catholic universities.

“It seems to me that if we look at the panorama of the world situation today, one can understand – I would say even humanly, almost without the need of having recourse to faith – that the God who has taken on a human face, the God who has become incarnate, whose name is Jesus Christ and who has suffered for us, this God is needed by all and is the only response to all the challenges of this time”. Jules Chevalier had the same sense of urgency. Do I? Do we?