杏MAP导航

By Vatican News staff reporter

This week hundreds of Superiors General have been exploring the theme "Embracing Vulnerability on the Synodal Journey," during the Plenary Assembly of the UISG.

杏MAP导航 Francis focused on this theme in a speech addressed to Assembly participants on Thursday in the Vatican鈥檚 Paul VI Hall.

In his prepared remarks, which were handed out to those present, the 杏MAP导航 dwelt on some points for their discernment centred around two scenes from the Gospel.

Vulnerability and service

The first is when Jesus washes Peter's feet at the Last Supper.

The 杏MAP导航 told the women religious that contemplating this scene 鈥渓eads us to recognise both Peter's vulnerability and the vulnerability that Jesus assumes in order to go out to meet him.鈥�

鈥淧eter finds it difficult to accept that he needs a change in his mentality, a change of heart, that he must allow himself to have his feet washed in order to be able to wash the feet of his brothers and sisters,鈥� he said.

By going out to meet him, explained 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥渢he Son of God places Himself in a vulnerable position, in the position of a servant, showing how the life of Jesus can only be understood through service.鈥�

Together with Peter, the 杏MAP导航 underlined, 鈥渢he Church learns from her Master that, in order to be able to give her life in service to others, she is invited to recognise and accept her own fragility and, from there, to bow down to the fragility of others.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis invited the Superiors General to animate the life of their congregations and accompany discernment in their communities, 鈥渢o enter into this scene of the washing of feet, walking this path of the Church, and to live their authority as service.鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 also told the sisters that religious life today recognises its vulnerability, even if it sometimes accepts it with difficulty.

He went on to say that the place the Son of God wants to occupy by placing Himself at the feet of humanity is 鈥渁 theological space.鈥�

He also called on them to approach 鈥渢he feet of wounded humanity鈥� beginning with the sisters in their communities.

In the second Gospel scene, from Luke, Mary Magdalene is the protagonist.  鈥淪he knows very well what it means to move from a messy and fragile life to a life centred on Jesus and the service of proclamation,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said.

The Synodal path

Turning his attention to the synodal path, the 杏MAP导航 considered what is the contribution that the Church expects from religious life in the synodal journey of the Church.

He told those gathered that 鈥渋f the synod is above all an important moment of listening and discernment, the most important contribution you can make is to participate in reflection and discernment.鈥�

He also stressed the importance of congregations making their own synodal journey.

Concluding his address, 杏MAP导航 Francis said he was counting on the sisters 鈥渢o accompany God's holy people in this synodal process, as experts in building communion, in fostering listening and discernment.鈥�

He also expressed the hope that the 鈥渟ynodal process that we are living in the Church may also take place within your institutes, where young and old exchange their wisdom and visions of consecrated life."

Finally, the 杏MAP导航 acknowledged the concern about a lack of vocations and about ageing. On these issues, he said, 鈥渢he important thing is always to be able to give a faithful and creative response to the Lord. Welcome the time in which we live as a gift from God, a kairos, for nothing escapes His hand.鈥�