The first reading of this Sunday’s liturgy leads me to reflect on who I am, my past, and how I am called to live within the reality of today. This does not mean I am to repeat, in my life, how my parents and ancestors lived in the past. Rather, I am called to embrace the present, in a new way, while at the same time, contributing values that were transmitted to me from past generations. God is present in every generation. Although my ancestors’ experience of God was very different from my own experience, I believe that we share the same sense of commitment, love, compassion, loyalty, and service – values which connect our lives and hearts through time and space. God’s presence and care for us is never hidden from our awareness.
These life-long values have given me the chance to become more conscious of my own choices and God’s presence in my life. It is not easy to recognize one’s particular path of commitment, one which is truly life-giving. This is especially challenging today, when the word “commitment” engenders feelings of fear that we will lose the freedom to realize our dreams. In my own life, the value of commitment has guided me “to live fully in freedom, to follow and serve God in whatever place I am.”
Rooted in this journey of commitment to God, four of us Maryknoll Sisters, began a new mission in Tchad- Central Africa in May 2023. After being there for almost two months, one of our Sisters passed away. Her sudden death was a big shock for every one of us. Within a place that was new to the four of us, this mission was our greatest challenge. Living in a new place where food was different from what we were used to, most of us lost weight. Malaria and Typhoid also became part of our lives. We hardly spoke the language, neither French nor Ngambay. We knew just a few people, and the temperature climbed past 100 degrees Fahrenheit, making us exhausted by the end of each day.
In the first reading, Joshua gathers the leaders of the Israelites and says, "If it does not please you to serve the Lord, decide today whom you will serve." It reminds me of the question that some people asked us after our Sister Lourdes Fernandez died, “Are you going back to your congregation or are you staying?” To Joshua’s question, the tribes of Israel answered, “God has performed those great miracles before our very eyes and protected us along our entire journey.” These very words resonated within my heart when I thought about our “Yes” to continue our mission in Tchad.
We know it is a hard place to be, but of one thing I am sure: it is God’s will and love for us and for the people of Tchad that has brought us together to this place. I know God’s love and presence will be always with us. The mere fact that so many people supported us when we were going through that difficult moment is a confirmation that God has been and will continue to be with us, all the way through. This experience reflects both “Having hearts on fire and testing the goodness of our God.”
The second reading, from Ephesians, makes me more conscious of how we are deepening our understanding of the meaning of relationship. Today, relationships not only refer to our connections with human beings, but with the whole of creation. Whether it is in science, spirituality or other fields of study, much has been written about relationships, connections, and interconnectedness. Relationships exist not as a means to subjugate one person over another. Instead, they exist as a means of achieving complementarity.
Nothing is static. Jesus himself often challenged the people of his own time to look at relationships from a new perspective and to treat each other with equality, justice, love and compassion. Jesus’ vision of relationship continues to vibrate today, through the inspiring writings of Ilia Delio and Diarmuid O’Murchu as well as writers from other fields. Diarmuid O’Murchu speaks of the interconnectedness of relationships as the “Companionship of empowerment.” In our society today where there is a greater awareness of the vertical structures which dominate others. We are called to pay attention to the example of the Trinitarian relationship of mutuality. Because we are all interconnected, what I do affects my sisters and brothers. Therefore, we are challenged to embrace the call to relate to one another with respect, as well as to appreciate the gift of diversity in the whole of creation.
Living in Africa also challenges my way of being in Mission. I no longer see myself as the savior or the one who is bringing something to the poor. Rather, I now understand that my call is to share life in mutuality with my sisters and brothers, whom I never encountered before; to both give and receive; to respect the dignity of others; to empower the wisdom among us; and to love and care for the gifts that God has given us.
The Gospel of John challenges us to listen to our inner selves and answer the question “Do you also want to leave?” or perhaps, “Do you want to commit to love?”
The reality of the present world is shaking us to our roots. Yet the stronger we feel this movement, the stronger we seem to hold on to the shield. That prevents us from taking a step forward into the unknown, committing ourselves to the newness of life. The call to commit ourselves to serve God and God’s people is ever present and ever changing. It could happen that after one experience of committing ourselves to serve, we believe that we have completed our life task.
Today, Jesus reminds us that the commitments we make need to be taken seriously. God’s unconditional love is always with us in both the good and the challenging moments. Even if at times we do not see nor feel it, God is still there holding us in his/her love. Life is not only about receiving but it is also about giving. Just as God holds us with this unconditional love, aren’t we also called to love the whole of creation unconditionally? Committing ourselves to serve God, in both the sorrowful and joyful times of life is not easy to do, but if we embrace the purest love of God in the depths of our hearts, we will always be given the strength, the wisdom, the consolation, and the joy which flow from the experience of God as companion on our life’s journey.
My present commitment is the Gift of Tchad, where I experience joy, sadness, disappointments, challenges, compassion, love and care. Here, there is nothing more meaningful than experiencing the affirmation that God is holding me all the time. What is your present commitment? How do you experience God’s affirmation of God’s presence in your life? This is the question that today I leave for you to ponder in your heart.
Photo of Moundou, Chad via Wikimedia Commons.