Vatican
City, 5 September 2013 (VIS) The Holy Father Francis sent a message
to Fr. Fernando Millan Romeral, Prior General of the Order of
Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel, on the occasion
of the celebration of the General Chapter.
Francis
offered some words of encouragement and hope to all the members of
the Order and suggested three elements that may guide them “in the
full realisation” of their vocation: “allegiance to Christ,
prayer and mission”.
The
Pope said that in a world that often misinterprets Christ and indeed
rejects Him, they are invited to draw nearer to and unite more
closely with Him. “It is a continuous call to follow Christ and to
abide by him. This is of vital importance in our disorientated world,
'for once the flame of faith dies out, all other lights begin to
dim'”.
Speaking
of prayer, the Pope emphasised that a Carmelite without a
contemplative life was like a dead body. “Now more than ever is the
moment to rediscover the inner pathway of love through prayer, and to
offer to the people of today in the witness of contemplation, as
through preaching and mission, not easy solutions, but the wisdom
that emerges from meditating “day and night the Law of the Lord”,
the Word that always leads to the glorious Cross of Christ. And,
united with contemplation, austerity in life, which is not a
secondary aspect of your life and your witness”. Likewise the
Pontiff mentioned that there is a strong temptation to fall into the
trap of spiritual worldliness, and he encouraged them to aspire to a
more austere and penitent life, according to the authentic ancient
Carmelite tradition.
“Yours
is the same mission as that of Jesus”, he continued. “Today, the
mission poses sometimes arduous challenges, as the evangelical
mission is not always welcomed and indeed is at times rejected with
violence. We must not forget that, even if we are thrown into murky
and uncharted waters, He Who calls us to His mission also gives us
the courage and the strength to carry it out”.
Finally,
Francis remarked, “The witness of your love and your hope, rooted
in profound friendship with living God, is like a 'gentle breeze'
that renews and reinvigorates your ecclesial mission in today's
world”.
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