From Service to Mission
The Review of Life in CLC
1. Introduction
It happens frequently in CLC that people come to decisions about commitment of their life and service through a process of personal discernment, without the community taking part. This is not always the case, but very often the community is not involved in personal decisions, but is informed of them, almost at the end.
In practice, this way of acting implies that the apostolic activities or service of the members of the community are not actually taken on by it, and, as a result, the individual does not feel sent on mission by the community. We could then define these CLCs as "communities of apostles", but not as "apostolic communities", given that, for an apostolic community to exist, all the members must commit themselves, as a community, to the "personal" apostolic work of all those who make up the community. An apostolic community is a community in mission, and that is a great deal more than just a community of apostles. The apostles in an authentic apostolic community live in mission because they share the mission of the whole community and embody it in themselves from the moment they are sent from and by the community.
It is equally true that some groups and communities have followed a process of discernment and dialogue on different choices of life and apostolate, which has transformed personal or group activities into authentic communal mission.
2. A Cycle in three stages
The prophetic experience which has been handed down to us in different books of the Bible is very revealing. The Biblical style (literary genre) used to communicate the experience of "living in mission" follows three phases
Vocation: the call: God comes into the life of the "future" prophet;
Objection: the person called feels confused and utterly inadequate in the presence of God and voices out his difficulties and limitations, sometimes even complaining because God has chosen him.
Mission: God entrusts the person with a task or a particular service to His people: in the case of the prophets, this action is always related to the "ministry of the word" and some specific ways of acting.
This literary genre, sometimes called "announcement", is often found in the Bible. For instance the Annunciation (Lk 1:26ff). Here, it is easy to see the coming of the Holy Spirit, the confusion of Mary who raises objections because she does not understand, and finally her acceptance of mission with her unconditional "yes".
These Biblical narratives are frequently autobiographical, the fruit of profound reflection on the individual's own history and God's presence in it. The apparent simplicity of the narrative conceals much searching and uncertainty, a first moment of optimism when the call becomes clear, then the choices to be made, with its ensuing experiences of discernment. It is true that, in most narratives of this kind, the communal dimension in answering the call or defining the mission is not apparent, but the process in three steps is obvious, especially in the second step of "crisis" which recurs when the prophet is already in mission. It is this cycle in three stages we are concerned with here, when God acts in our life, in our personal and communal history. First, God calls, and, once our heart accepts the call, we ask ourselves the how, when and where of the mission.
We can say in general, that in CLC each person is confronted first with the challenge of the call (vocation, to CLC or wherever the Lord is calling us. This is the choice of a state of life); next, within the community, each one seeks the will of God concerning the mission. The second period of "crisis" or "objection" is the process of discernment, during which we try to find, in the state of indifference, the will of God, faithfully seeking the best way to answer His call.
3. Review of life and mission
We offer a method here which will help the community take on the tasks which the members are already doing, become involved in them, and transform them into communal mission, after going through a process of discernment. This process may challenge the way a person is involved in an activity, so that he/she may be sent in mission again, and his/her mission may become communal.
In other words, what we want is that the three steps of this "vocation - objection - mission" be shared by the community, as a Church Association, and what was a personal service may become the mission of the Church. The community, therefore, accompanies us in our personal apostolic discernment, sends and confirms us in our mission.
4. General outline of the retreat
A) Six days of individually guided Retreat (If possible, the guides look after no more than seven people).
Complete silence
Brief communal prayer - in the morning -
Some inputs may be offered in common, especially in the first two days
Daily celebration of the Eucharist
Daily evaluation by the group of guides
B) Communal Discernment (CD)
CD will usually last three days, starting from the seventh day of the individually guided Retreat. Normally, those who have accompanied the Exercises will be the guides during CD. CD experience will be done in groups of six or seven people, ensuring as much diversity as possible in terms of their apostolic areas and origin.
CD will take place in the atmosphere of a retreat, although silence will be kept only during the periods of prayer, not during meals or breaks. It must be emphasized that the whole process is based on personal prayer and what is shared in groups will be the fruit of this prayer. Of course, the celebration of the Eucharist will be the focal point of each day. Perhaps it will be suitable to devote some time to communal prayer, at the beginning of the day.
5. Outline of the C.D.
A. Looking at "them", those we try to serve or help,
B. Looking at "ourselves" in service or activity,
C. Redrafting service or activity.
The group will devote one period of time to each individual and to one field of action. Between each of the three steps, there will be one hour of personal prayer, before the Lord, seeking enlightenment and the gift of indifference.
Defining the field of our service or activity: only one among the different fields of service in which the CLCers are committed can be decerned upon: "the most important" or "the most urgent". This specific field of activity is presented to the group at the beginning.
6. Plan of the meeting
Before each meeting there will be, as we have said, a time for personal prayer. The actual meeting will follow approximately this plan:
- a prayer time,
- each person makes a summary presentation of the service he/she offers (this presentation is done only once: during the 1st. meeting),
- one person is chosen, by agreement, for deeper exchange (in each meeting a different one).
- the "participant" makes a detailed presentation of that service or activity, keeping in mind the specific area assigned for the day. It is important that everybody understands as much as possible the facts and the context of these facts.
- brief period of silence and prayer on how to formulate the questions.
- round of questions, clarifications (avoiding always giving advice or lectures),
- Evaluation: Each participant, inspired by the sharing will look over his/her own experience with a fresh look: How this exchange has helped me, offering me new ideas, challenging me? Each person speaks, the one who made the presentation speaking last.
- final prayer.
A. "They"
Those whom we want to help
During the meeting, the "participant" chosen by the group presents his/her vision of "them": what they are like, in what conditions they find themselves, what problems they have, not taking for granted that the other members of the group know "their" situation and needs.
The "participant" must, above all, formulate what are, in his/her judgment, "their" explicit and implicit requests. The others listen attentively without interrupting (notes may be taken).
In the second part of the meeting, the members of the group will ask for appropriate explanations, perhaps voicing their doubts or asking about gaps or showing surprise at certain aspects, but without discussing or giving advice.
The goal of this meeting:
• A better knowledge of the most urgent and fundamental needs of those whom we are trying to help.
• A clear and distinct formulation of their explicit requests and especially of their implicit ones (those things they ask for, but with non-verbal language). These are their most profound desires, inspired by the call of the Father, by the Holy Spirit at work within them.
The role of the guide is basically to:
• avoid detailed explanations on how "we" try to help. In this first meeting "we" do not exist, only "them"; limit the discussion solely to "them";
• help to formulate clearly "their" explicit and implicit requests;
• after the sharing, if needed, help to reformulate these requests.
• ensure, at all times, that the members' questions do not become "advice" or "lectures". The members must only ask questions that help the "participant" to look at the initial insights again;
• ensure that everyone participates.
Personal reflection
After this first meeting, the "participant" will reflect in prayer on "them" and on the new insights shared with the members of the group. "They" are the beloved children of God, the purpose of our mission, of our belonging to CLC.
The others will accompany the "participant" in prayer so that, in the light of what was experienced in the meeting concerning the apostolic activity, each one will review and see differently the people in their own apostolate.
Theme of the prayer: John 4: 1-41 The Samaritan Woman ("They")
Prayer: "Lord, may I recognize you in the faces of the people you have sent me to, and help me to discover what You want me to do for them".
Composition of place: Visualize what the people are doing; listen to what they are saying; observe what motivates them, their hopes, what makes them suffer; what they are asking for from me.
Points:
1. See and describe these people: their faces, their expressions, their stories; how and where we meet each other, the initial relationship between them and us, how it has changed, what it is like now...
2. Call to mind what they are explicitly asking me for.
3. Find out what they are implicitly asking me for: their most pressing and important hopes and needs. Respect the stage they have reached in their personal salvation history, according to their progress in the Kingdom of God, in their vocation.
* Core need or desire: what underlies all the other needs and desires.
* How is Jesus present in these people, in their requests? What is He asking of me?
Colloquy: "In the way one friend speaks to another": the people I am helping are friends of the Lord: speak to Him about them.
Review of the prayer (Write down)
What have I seen and heard? What have I learned? Can I say: "It is the Lord"?
× the profile of the people
× their explicit and implicit requests
× their most pressing need or desire, which is fundamental to all the others.
B."WE"
The one who offers the apostolic service
In the second meeting, the "participant" will speak of the way he/she goes about his/her service or activity. We ourselves and the way we serve are the object of the "contemplation".
The goal of this meeting:
• To have a better understanding of ourselves as followers of Christ: how much do we allow the Spirit of Christ to transform us?
• To allow ourselves to be challenged in the way we serve:
× What is my plan, if I have one? (often people act without a prior plan)
× Do I have clear goals? Are my goals realistic?
× What talents can I rely on?
. How have I prepared myself? Do I read, learn from the experience of others?
× Do I know how to work in a team?
× Have I evaluated my service regularly, at the end of the year?
The role of the guide is basically to:
• Ensure that the presentation of the one who has been chosen by the group is clear and adequate,
• Ensure that the companions do not become "judges" or "advisers",
• Help to reformulate, after the dialogue with the group, the key elements of the personal relationship with Christ and this activity: what am I offering, and what are the difficulties on my side?
Personal reflection
Everybody tries to internalize the insights and dynamics of the sharing, relating it to our own ways and experiences in service.
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Theme of the prayer: Luke 10: 25-37 - The Good Samaritan -
Prayer: "Lord, may I have a compassionate heart to find out the needs of those to whom You are sending me. May I feel the joy of being Your helper, of sharing in Your work; may my goals and way of reaching them be Yours."
Composition of place: Look at myself in my usual surroundings in which my service takes place.
Points:
1. Recall to mind my own history, my own experiences as the starting point from which I offer my apostolic activities; my faith history, my intimacy with Christ, my talents, family, qualifications, life style, holidays, profession... how does Jesus challenge me? As a friend who trusts me, who challenges me, who is going to transform me.
2. Recall to mind the goals of my service, the ways and means I have used. Look at the priorities I have set up, the difficulties I have encountered. Recall to mind my team-work, my reactions to proposals, my resistance, my own tensions with my companions. Look at my openness towards honest, critical evaluation. Think of my service or activity as a mission that the Church has entrusted to me.
Colloquy: Reflect with the Lord, "like one friend speaks to another" on these insights about myself.
Review of the prayer (write it down)
× What did I feel? What did I find out?
× What is my plan, if I have one? (often people act without a prior plan)
C. My apostolic service or activity
In this third stage, the "participant" will compare the most urgent and essential needs/hopes of the people to be helped, with what he/she is actually "doing". This comparison allows us to find out the consistency or lack of it in our service.
Based on this new, more objective perspective, we will try to reformulate, or rather formulate properly, our service or activity: aims, means, steps to take and criteria for evaluation.
This service or activity will be put to the group for criticism and modification, if any is necessary. In any case, the community will take on the project and send us out in the name of Jesus. After praying, the whole community offers the service or activity to the Lord for Him to confirm it and bless us with His peace.
The goal of this meeting:
• To reformulate the service or activity in the light of the preceding stages;
• To take on, as a community, this companion and his/her apostolic service or activity, which from now on has become "communal";
• To confirm the companion in his/her mission.
The role of the guide is basically to:
• help to formulate the "discrepancies" between the most urgent needs and the action taken, the shortcomings in the service or activity, etc...
• discourage, as always, any attitude of paternalism on the part of the group, offering "advice" or "lectures" to the one who was chosen;
• help to reformulate the service or activity and make sure that the community explicitly takes it on and offers it to the Lord to be confirmed.
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Theme of the prayer: John 15: 9-17 "to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last..."
Prayer: "Lord, may I may seek your Kingdom above all; in following You further on the road, may I produce more abundant fruit; may I do your Will better."
Composition of place: My community with the Lord, sent by Him.
Points: 1. "...In all this and by it, each one should desire and seek nothing except the greater praise and glory of God our Lord. For everyone ought to reflect that in all spiritual matters, the more one divests oneself of self-love, self-will, and self-interests, the more progress one will make." (Sp.Ex.189)
2. Recall to mind the two preceding stages:
a) re-read and revise, if necessary, the notes/commentaries made before and after the dialogues.
b) compare the implicit and explicit requests, the goals and the reformulated projects. Ascertain the degree of correspondence and any disparities.
What is the Lord asking me to change, what to keep?
Colloquy: "Eternal Lord of all things, I make my offering, with your favour and help. I make it in the presence of your infinite Goodness, and of your glorious Mother, and of all the holy men and women in your heavenly court. I wish and desire, and it is my deliberate decision, provided only that it is for your greater service and praise, to imitate you in bearing all injuries and affronts, and any poverty, actual as well as spiritual, if your Most Holy Majesty desires to elect and receive me into such a life and state." (Sp.Ex.98)
Review of the prayer: What did I feel? What did I find out? What am I worried about? What are my goals? Specify the first stage for beginning my mission.
Final Evaluation
References points for the guides (main objectives):
To clarify the concept of an "Apostolic Discerning Community"
To insist that the starting point is personal prayer
To integrate apostolic life and prayer life
This way of doing the Review of life helps us to live with and in the Church
The group is to take on the choices and apostolic service of its members.
Questionnaire:
In recalling the whole process, determine what helped me the most:
- the introductions
- the roles
- personal prayer
- the content and the honesty of the sharing
What, in your view, were the most important formulations, with regard to
- "they"
- our way of acting
- our service or activity
- the community or the group
How do we pass on this experience and methodology to our local and national communities?