On the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, a day the Church dedicates to all the consecrated people, I have been tasked with presenting a reflection to all religious men and women gathered for the diocesan celebration. This time, the celebration takes a special flavor as the church is journeying in this Jubilee Year of Hope. And therefore, this reflection’s main focus is on living our Jesuit life as religious witnessing hope to its fullness.
Consecrated life is basically a journey undertaken by ‘pilgrims of hope’. Every religious man and woman are a pilgrim of hope. As Jesuits, we are called to witness to the world the Christian hope that radicalizes every religious person in both their life and mission.
It is obvious that there exists a direct and intimate bond between religious life and Christian hope. Firstly, because religious life is a witness to the gospel. Those who choose to live a consecrated life dedicate themselves fully to God and the service of others. Through our vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, we aim to exemplify a radical commitment to Gospel values, serving as a beacon of hope in a world often marked by materialism, individualism, and greed. Secondly, because of the eschatological message we send. Our life is to bear witness to the hope of eternal life and the Kingdom of God. By living the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, we demonstrate that ultimate fulfillment and happiness are found in God alone, not in worldly possessions or pleasures.
Daily prayer is another practice of our lives that points out the theological virtue of hope. In our lives as consecrated people, we spend a significant amount of time in prayer and contemplation. Our prayerful witness offers hope to the faithful and the world at large, showing that God is present and active in the midst of the chaotic situations that tend to challenge our hope. Next, I would highlight the commitment to service motivated by love. Our Jesuit life is also dedicated to serving others, especially the marginalized and vulnerable in society. Our selfless service and dedication bring hope to those in need.
We live our religious life in community, witnessing a simple lifestyle focused on prayer, community, and service. By living counter-culturally, we offer a witness of hope that there is another way to live in the world, centered on God and serving others. Renunciation for the sake of the Kingdom is another dimension we offer by living our vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, which are seen as a radical renunciation of worldly values in favor of the values of the Kingdom of God. This radical choice is a sign of hope in a world ever more marked by materialism, individualism, and radicalism.
I’d say that a first choice for us to journey and to celebrate this Jubilee Year of Hope for us as Jesuits is to live out our religious life. It is in itself an extraordinary lifestyle that puts all our hope in God alone, as described above.
Now I am missioned to our education project in Kassait. And enriched by my experience to assist the Holy Father, whose message was full of appreciation for the youthfulness of the Church in Timor, I feel that my life should more and more be a witness to this hope. The Universal Society calls us to journey with the youth, to accompany the young in building a hope-filled future. This is where the Lord is calling me and is calling us, now. And here is where I am trying to contribute, and to take my Jesuit life and mission to accompany the youth in the two schools in Kasait; Instituto São João de Brito (ISJB) and Colégio St. Inacio de Loyola (CSIL), as a concrete way to live this Jubilee Year of Hope.
God bless us all.
By: P. Joaquim Sarmento, SJ