"Servants with the same attitude" Do whatever he tells you (John 2:5).

On October 25, 2014 we held our traditional monthly recollection, on the theme: "Servants with the same attitude" Do whatever he tells you (John 2: 5). This took place in the Community of the Novitiate of the Little Missionaries Sisters of Charity (Don Orione). The moderator, Reverend Sister Maria Stella has led us to discover the greatness of Lord's call and the singularity of each one of us in the perspective of constantly answer to this call. Below is a patchwork of some elements discussed.

On the Footstep of Mary:

The Blessed Virgin Mary “conceived, brought forth and nourished Christ. She presented Him to the Father in the temple, and was united with Him by compassion as He died on the Cross. In this singular way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the work of the Saviour in giving back supernatural life to souls. Wherefore she is our mother in the order of grace.” (Lumen Gentium 61)

“The Blessed Virgin teaches unconditional discipleship and diligent service. In Mary, "the temple of the Holy Spirit, "all the splendour of the new creation shines forth… The Blessed Virgin shares with them the love which enables them to offer their lives every day for Christ and to cooperate with him in the salvation of the world.” (Vita Consecrata 28)

In the whole mystery of Christ, from his Incarnation up to the Calvary, Mary have been a gift given to all, especially to us her predestinated children, religious, seminarians and priests. That sounds much for us daughters and spiritual sons of Don Orione, to whom she is a Foundress and Heavenly Mother. Mary for us is an example of serving the plan of the Kingdom of God, the one we are all called to love in a special way, especially in this month of the holy Rosary. During this day, at her school, let us rediscover our being servants of the poor and disciples of Jesus.

Let’s start from life: “The generous mother”

One evening, while the mother was preparing supper, a little boy arrived in the kitchen and handed her a piece of paper. The mother wiped her hands on her apron to read what was written:

                * For having weeded the garden -------------------------= Ksh 500

                * For clearing my room--------------------------------------= Ksh 100

                * For doing the shopping -----------------------------------= Ksh 100

                * For having looked after my little sister ----------------= Ksh 100

                * For having a good school report -----------------------= Ksh 500

                * For having thrown out the rubbish ---------------------= Ksh 100

                * For sweeping and raking the compound -------------= Ksh 300

                                               ________________________________________

                                               Total: ---------------------------------------= Ksh 1,700

The mother looked straight in the eyes of her son. The mind waiting, full of memories, she took a Pencil and wrote on the other side of the paper:

* For having carried you nine months in the womb working in this garden ------------= Ksh 0

* For all the nights spent close to you praying in this room --------------------------------= Ksh 0

* For caring for you, drying your tears and the shopping for you -------------------------= Ksh 0

* For all the time I have dedicated to you since you were born ---------------------------= Ksh 0

* For all the worries I have undergone for your education ----------------------------------= Ksh 0

* For all advice and knowledge I have given you to differentiate rubbish and good--= Ksh 0

* For all the toys, food, clothes, school ----------------------------------------------------------= Ksh 0

                                                              __________________________________________

                                                                        Total: ---------------------------------------= Ksh 0.00

Finishing, she added “Bill”: My son, if you want to do any account, you should know first of all that my love for you is total gratuitous!

When the little boy finished reading what his mother had written, two tears fell down his cheeks. He turned the paper over and on his bill wrote: “Over Paid”. Then he threw himself on his mother and covered her with kisses and said: “Mum, how much can I love you?”

Love above all:

When one begins to do accounts in personal, familial and communitarian relationship, it is the beginning of the end of every good things in life. Love is foremost gratuitous, or there is no love. And Mary is the best and greatest example of that motherly love. She embrace a spirit of unconditional love.

Mothers usually dedicate full attention to their children without asking for nothing to be paid back. They introduced the children to life and even to religion. And that, no-one will be able to repay it back. All this attribute of the mother come to be summaries in that one of love. No one in life can love us more than our mothers loved us.

In our side, with our fiscal mind, we want everything we are doing to be repaid back. In our relationship with one another, we are invited to do that there might not be other bills than the one of love. And the bill of that love must always be counted as paid and more as over-paid.

In our vocational journey, Mary always invite us to do whatever Christ tells us. And what Jesus tells us is about love. Love for one another and have only this debt, the debt of love between us and others.

Parable of the Pencils:

One day, the pencil maker took the pencils aside, talk to them just before putting them into the box. He said to each one of them, “There are seven things you need to know before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.

“One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone’s hand.

“Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil.

“Three: The most important part of you will always be what's inside.

“Four: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.

“Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No
matter what the condition, you must continue to write.”

“Six: Use your ability to erase appropriately, help others to correct mistakes and not run them down and negate their mark.

“Finally seven: You need to work alongside other pencils to see beautiful things achieved. There are times when a darker shade of pencil needs to be used and there are times when a lighter shade is essential.”

The pencils understood their purpose and promised to remember their maker’s words, and got into the box.

We are like a pencil. The Creator made us for a purpose. The question is, have we understood our purpose in life?