Christmas Message from the Midwest Prior Provincial
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
Fraternal greetings to all of you in your respective communities and ministries.
On December 21st of the Third Week of Advent, the Gospel reading reminds us that after the angel’s announcement of the birth of Christ to Mary, she went in haste to visit Elizabeth, although a very familiar story, we discover that their lives were changed almost in an instant. They would have to get accustomed to their “new normal.” We imagine the journey that Mary took to spend time with her relative in her need disrupted her own plans. These past few days have been the busiest travel days thus far as we close the year 2019. The anticipation and the anxiety levels are high as people want to get to their destinations in haste, in other words, on time and without hassle. We all look forward to spending these few days in peace and relaxation only to begin again our frenetic schedules afterwards. Yet, we know, that there are not a lot of guarantees that what we start off with in our plans will go smoothly. Although, we always hope it does. Sickness and death, for instance, do not respect our schedule. So often, it is by experience that we learn that life is transitional by its very nature and how much more our religious life is transitional.
It would seem appropriate, perhaps, that we allow the fluidity of life to take its course. As much as we want to keep “things” normal the more we face a “newer” normal when changes affect us personally and collectively.
Pope Francis in his Christmas Eve address to the Roman Curia offers both challenge and encouragement. He speaks to clerics, religious and laypeople:
“[A] healthy attitude is that of allowing oneself to be interrogated by the challenges of the present time and of receiving them with the virtues of discernment, boldness and patient endurance. Change, [then], takes on a totally different aspect…. It becomes something more human, more Christian.”
We Augustinians have faced changes most recently. To name a few, we have change in leadership personnel in the Order, change in ownership of St. Anthony Home in Crown Point, change in the Province’s financial state, the status change of the Canadian Province, changes in our health, and the passing away of several of our brothers, etc.
Pope Francis ends his address to the Curia with the following words:
“Christmas is the feast of the love of God for us. Divine love inspires, guides, and corrects the change and defeats the human fear of leaving the ‘secure’ and launching out in the ‘mystery’.”
The challenge for us in particular and for the Church generally is to be open to the promptings of the Spirit as we face a new year with hope, encouragement and wonder. Let’s walk together and accompany one another with patience into 2020.
A Blessed Christmas and a Peace filled New Year! Pray for me as I assure you all of mine.
With Christ & St. Augustine,
Tony
