The pastoral proposal re-establishes the priority of the daily action of the Christian, even of those who, constantly engaged in support of the least and absorbed by urgencies, sometimes find it difficult to take a break to put themselves before God
by Gloria
Mari
Nocetum Association
Reading the Archbishop’s Pastoral Proposal (read the presentation here) my heart really opened, because it helps all of us to return to the center. At the center of our action, and above all of our being. It restores the priority in our daily actions.
In the text Pray to live by Monsignor Delpini (read the full text here) one sentence in particular caught my attention, provoking an examination of conscience: “We would like our communities to recognize themselves first of all for being houses of prayeras well as houses of charity, schools of prayer, as well as an after-school offer ». I wonder if even for those who every day support the least and have to do with the most fragile sections of society it is really so necessary to put themselves before God and always bear witness to the mercy of the Lord. Sometimes it is difficult to take the right time to pause, taking care of prayer and the liturgy well. Rather, there is the temptation – I say this from personal experience – to be absorbed by the thousand tasks, urgencies and emergencies, justifying the commitment to “the least” as an act of prayer. But, again from experience, I know very well that this is not the case: the exhausting effort in supporting those who are desperate, those who continually need support, those who are unable to become independent, run out of “batteries” a little.
The Archbishop therefore writes well: «How will it be possible to preserve joy in the troubled days of human history? How will it be possible to withstand the wear and tear of tiring times without losing hope? Which paths must be followed in order to walk together, decide together, live in communion with such different people, histories, cultures? The Lord Jesus, in a moment of frustration for himself and for his parents, addresses his invitation: “Come to me, all you who are tired and oppressed, and I will give you refreshment” (Mt 11.28) “.
In fact, whenever we manage to carve out an adequate time to be in the presence of the Lord, in silence, such peace and grace are given that then we really feel relieved and capable of facing any difficulty. “Without prolonged moments of adoration, of prayerful encounter with the Word, of sincere dialogue with the Lord, the tasks are easily emptied of meaning, we are weakened by tiredness and difficulties, and the fervor is extinguished “, the Archbishop resumes from Evangelii Gaudium of Pope Francis.
And in a monastic spirituality ofnow and labora which characterizes the territory of southern Milan – where the Nocetum center is located – I understand even more the importance of taking up Cardinal Martini’s invitation to put “prayer in the city” and “bring the city into prayer”.