SPIRITUAL LIFE COMMITTEE

Missionary Servants Of The

Most Holy Trinity

 

Monthly Reflection: July 2003

 

 

THE VIIRTUE OF PRUDENCE

By Rev. Victor Santiago, S.T.

 

 

            The virtue of prudence is of enormous importance in the life of the Missionary Cenacle. Prudence has to do with holiness. And as Leviticus 19:1 says, our calling is to be holy because our God is holy. Indeed, the first vocation of each member of the Missionary Cenacle Family is to be holy.

 

            Already from the beginnings of the Missionary Cenacle, Father Judge has been inviting us to be prudent in every instance, particularly when speaking (The Original Constitution, Arts. 158-163; MF-14310-11).

 

            Writing to a Missionary Servant, Father Judge says: A Missionary Servant…shall have a sense of honor, fidelity, and a delicate conscience when speaking. He must be  discrete and careful so as not to present himself as an instrument of a malignant spirit by causing hurts but as a guardian of confidences. He adds, The pest of a Religious house and the worst enemy of its peace is the peddler of gossip and murmurings.

 

Prudence has to do with discretion, moderate action, and openness to correction. It is about good behavior and right conduct. It is seeking inner clarity of judgment so that we would be able to wisely and skillfully distinguish between that which is useful or harmful. And may I add this, prudence is to seek counsel. All of this can be summed up as holiness.

It is in the endeavor of becoming wise and prudent men and women of the Missionary Cenacle that we truly begin to conform with and follow according to the religious commitment that Father Judge has envisioned for us.

 

It seems to me that whenever Father Judge speaks of prudence, he is always inviting and indulging us to consider how we carry ourselves, appraise our manners, name our actions. And, to know when it is best to speak or to keep silent.

 

Just imagine how well we would have been, how much we could have accomplished had we learned more to listen than talk; had we deliberated each move before acting on them, or had we been more careful in handling the information in our hands!  We would become that power for good that the church sorely needs these days.

 

The wise and prudent person is simple-hearted. He confronts his inquirers with unambiguous judgments. He strives to choose the better means to attain good ends. And more than that, the prudent man has a profound respect of God. It is on account of this that he acquires that inner harmony which allows him even to be vulnerable with others. It is this same inner harmony that enables him to hold others with reverence, as well as to offer corrections with love. The stableness and sobriety of our feelings, intentions and decisions are indeed a blessing and a joy. When we have control of self, we can indeed let go of blaming and in its stead, devote ourselves to seeking what is true and what is good. In this way our entire environment changes into something extraordinary. Holiness has a way of transforming things that are distant and elusive into experiences that are live, real and practical.

 

In the Cenacle we speak of taking counsel and seeking good advice. Who can better give good counsel and guidance than prudent ones? They give profitable advice, as St. Augustine says, grounded on the lessons of the past, the understanding of the present, and the clarity of future events. Their impartiality stems from their pursuit of truth and a sensitive regard for the individual.  Not intimidated, they speak the truth. Thus, they become zealous, honest and lucid defenders of the little ones. They are aware of established boundaries, enduring in their action, and unfazed by deceptions and lies. They know how to unearth the truth without dragging it out. They recognize their many limitations; they know how to wait; they are mindful of humanness.

 

Without a doubt, each one of us needs to keep growing in this eminent virtue of the Missionary Cenacle.

 

Reflection questions:

 

1.      How conscious am I of the virtue of prudence in my life?

2.      Do I understand the practical implications of this virtue?

3.      How can I promote the virtue of prudence in our Cenacle?