9th Provincial Chapter, 24 May - 2 June 2008
May 24-25: Days of Prayer/ Silence: On Discernment
May 24: Day One
| The Facilitator |
 Bro. Karel San Juan, SJ, of EMMAUS Center for
Psycho-Spiritual Formation facilitates the two days of prayer and silence. A
Jesuit scholastic preparing for ordination, Bro. Karel completed his
doctoral studies at Gonzaga University at Spokane on Leadership Studies
with his dissertation, "The Spiritual Formation of Leaders on the
Ignatian Tradition". He has a Master's Degree in Development
Management from the Asian Institute of Management (AIM).As a Jesuit, his involvement includes being member of the Social Apostolate Commission of the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus; Center for Ignatian Spirituality and Simbahang Lingkod; Consultant of the Office for Mission, Identity and Organizational Development of the Ateneo University, and Director of Emmaus Center for Psycho-Spiritual Formation of Religious and Lay Leaders. Before entering the Society of Jesus,
Bro Karel worked with the Ateneo Social Development Complex, he taught
courses on development studies and management at the Ateneo and AIM;
consultant, facilitator, trainor, speaker in organizational development
and strategic management for NGO, people's organizations, business,
church and religious organizations as well as government agencies, among
them USAID, CIDA and OXFAM HK and USA as Development consultant. |
Opening Prayer:
|
James 5:13-20
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We beg for the grace of prayer: being able to pray, to pray for one another, to
pray for one another’s healing, to pray for our reconciliation, to pray like a
child to the Father: dependent and trusting, pure and innocent, awed and
wondrous, demanding and receptive of God’s blessings.
FIRST PRAYER: OUR PRESENT MOMENT
First point. In this Provincial Chapter we come together as individuals, and as a community. We come together as part of a journey with a past, present, and future. We reflect now on where we are, how we are, and who we are – at this particular moment in our journey.
Second point. We all prepared ourselves, our hearts-minds-souls, for this important event in our congregation’s life and history. We went through several conversations, recollections, prayers, and planning activities. We came up with priorities, themes, scenarios, and challenges. We are already in the midst of projecting our future together. We pause these two days, in quiet prayer, to remember and to integrate all that we have prepared for, offering and surrendering them to God, so we can listen to His call, so we can follow His bidding. So we ask as well: where is God, how is God calling us, and who is God to me and to us at this point in time. What image of God is being revealed to us at this time?
Third point. As we discern, we find the following three deepening realities converging: my self, our Province and its mission, and God. They converge in terms of where they are (place, moment in the journey, the givens of one’s situation), how they are (dispositions, feelings, spiritual states), and who they are (self-understanding, identity, image). We reflect on these in prayer, asking for the grace of understanding and wisdom, asking God for what meanings and invitations need to be revealed to our consciousness at this moment of our lives.
WHERE AM I WHERE ARE WE
HOW AM I HOW ARE WE
WHO AM I WHO ARE WE
WHO IS GOD
HOW IS GOD
WHERE IS GOD
SECOND PRAYER: OUR DESIRES FOR THE FUTURE
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First point. As we discern, we acknowledge the power of desires: ours and God’s. God desires nothing else but our good: a future of goodness, fortune, reconciliation, healing, liberation, restoration, homecoming, community, and peace. More than this, God promises God’s abiding presence and friendship in our lives. We pray for ever-deepening faith and confidence in God’s great desires for us, in God’s constant accompaniment in our lives. We pray for the grace of knowing what seem to be God’s great desires and plans for our Province’s mission and community at this time.
Second point. God expects us to come to Him with our own desires, which is part of discernment. God invites us to approach Him with confidence, courage, strength, and fervor. God impels us to bring all our desires in prayer. Do we have this fervor for prayer? Do we know what desires to present to the Lord? What visions and desires do we have for our Province: What more can we do? How more can we be? How can we do things better? How can we be better? Are we strong and confident in lifting up our visions, desires and intentions to God?
Third point. We pray and reflect on the desires of Mary, the first
disciples, and Jesus in the following:
- Mary’s discernment at the Wedding at Cana: John 2:1-12
- The first disciples’ decision to follow Jesus: Luke 5:1-11
- Jesus’ agony in the garden: Matthew 26:36-46; Luke 22:40-46
We imagine how they must have grappled with their desires, knowing and claiming them, and uniting them with the greater desire of God.
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FIRST
PRAYER: OUR PRESENT MOMENT
SECOND
PRAYER: OUR DESIRES FOR THE FUTURE
