Thinking of artificiality....

Artificiality. I think this is one of the most important things that we religious need to fight in ourselves. Who came to meet you? What did you speak? You never inform me... you have so many phone calls... you have so many visitors... Accountability? Responsibility? Where will you end up?

Internal matters... our community life... outsiders have no right to even comment. Get into the rut? = Fall in line.....

We religious sometimes forget that we are human -- maybe that is the explanation of artificiality here. You must have heard about so many occasions when people are asked to clear the premises or when they not entertained “because it is our prayer time.” “It’s our prayer time don't disturb us.” “We have community activities so don't come now.” “We want to be apostolic, but we have our timetable.” “Don’t touch our siesta time.” “Give us a convenient apostolate.” “Our apostolate should be without any troubles.” These are some of the statements that we must have heard. [I don’t underestimate the discipline of the religious community or the time set for community or privacy or other common works, but when we are too much worried about a structuralised life to the detriment of simple, human, ordinary life then we become artificial.]

We need to allow the Spirit in us to be flexible and take us where/wherever He wishes us to go, not just where we have planned to go.

(Written a few years back....)