Spiritual Life Committee

Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity
Monthly Reflection - January 2005

TO LIVE SIMPLY IN THE MIDST OF PLENTY
Fr. Joseph McDonough, S.T.

That opportunity, indeed that blessing, which is ours as Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity is, to live simply in the midst of plenty. In particular, to take and then to live the vow of poverty. It is a gift of being set free in a marvelous way so as to be able to live life ever more fully in the image and likeness of God.

This vow then, is not primarily to be free from something but rather to be free for something- free to live.

To do this and to do so with increasing success, we are called again to be people of faith. This is to live a faith focused on freedom and carried out in actions of love for self, for our sisters and brothers as guided by God. In trying to live such a focused faith, our God has given us his very Son to show us the way. It is the life Jesus lived that is for us the example to live a simple life and the fulfillment of the sacred promise of poverty.

From the cradle to the cross, Jesus never ceases to be for us and to model how to live in a simple manner, thus, how to live successfully. Jesus clings not. Not to possessions, not to power. Indeed, Jesus clings not even to life itself. In so living and dying he is free and he frees each of us.

Jesus clings neither to people whether as a young child at the Temple when he leaves Mary and Joseph or later in life as well. Rather, he goes where he must to carry the Fathers message to whomever he can. He clings not to possessions. Rather, he depends on others even for the most basic of needs. In so doing, he again is free for his mission. Nor does Jesus cling to power. In fact, he avoids it as when some would make him king. Finally, Jesus does not even hang onto life but rather hangs on a cross. Abandoned by almost all people, devoid of any possessions, in a moment of total powerlessness, Jesus gives up life and he dies! At that instance, the power of Gods love comes alive as never before, the world is possessed with the Light of Jesus, all peoples are saved with the Love of Jesus. The power of simple love transforms the world. All who turn to this simple love are transformed.

What more do each of us need to fulfill the commitment to a simple life, to carry out this vow of poverty? The answer itself is simple the commitment and willingness to do so ONE DAY AT A TIME. That of course is where it gets difficult, or rather where we start making it difficult. Not unlike Jesus who prayed "Father take this cup from me," we recoil and do not want to do this. But also like Jesus we are called to pray, not my will but your will be done. The surrender of Jesus led to the fulfillment of his mission. With and through and in Jesus, our own surrender- one day at a time leads us to fulfill our promise and to live as Jesus did.

As we so live this vow, it carries with it promise as well. Promise not only of freedom, but of hope and peace. It holds out this life of promise not only for ourselves but for others as well. In letting go of people, possessions and power, Jesus became connected to all forever. United with Jesus as we do the same, we experience the treasured blessings of freedom, hope and peace, and of living ever more fully in Gods image and likeness, we are extraordinarily gifted to carry and share these blessings with others.

Becoming people not clinging to but letting go, we are free and we share freedom. With hearts not holding on but opening up, we may be filled with the grace of God. With spirits not seeking our will and way, we may soar with the Light and the Love of Jesus. And we are free to share this grace, carry this light, give away this love!

In this freedom, there is hope a hope to be lived and a hope to be shared. It is the hope that we may experience living in the presence of God both now and forever. It is the hope that each day we may renew our journey of walking with Jesus, talking with him, following his lead. It is the hope that even as our natural tendency to hold to our will and way remains, the gentle touch of Jesus allows us to let go anew.

This hope through living this vow of poverty is not for ourselves alone but to be shared with others. In fact that is part of the marvelous gift. Each of us is called to carry hope to our sisters and brothers. In a time marked by fear and terror, real and imagined, what a special gift and opportunity it is to offer hope to others. In so many of our own works, God gives us the chance to bring hope to those who feel hopeless. It is the teachable moment of such despair when we must remind such a person that God remains always present, always loving and so always the source of hope. To bring that hopeful word is to be reminded and remind each person that God loves us all always without condition, without reservation, without hesitation, without end.

Lived out one day at a time, this vow of poverty offers us peace. It is a simple peace. It is the peace of living in the presence of our God, living with Jesus- the Prince of Peace. This gift of peace- far more than the absence of violence and upheaval- is the peace of harmony and wholeness. It is the peace of being at one with self, with God, with our sisters and brothers. In fact, it is the peace with being at one with all creation.

This is the peace of serenity that grows ever deeper and that transforms us. Continuing our walk with Jesus, even the experience of our profoundly painful moments is endured through the peace of his embrace, more so in the peace of his joy.

Like our hope, our peace is to share. Only in sharing it, do we ever keep it. How often and in so many ways God gives us the opportunity to share his peace! From the celebration of new life at birth to the grieving of a loved one who has died, we may an must share peace. In the deepest of lifes experiences of the most simple, the opportunity to share peace is ours. In what we say, what we do, how we speak, as we pray may we share Gods peace. It is our magnificent opportunity. It is our sacred responsibility!

Through this simple way of living, we have a chance to be connected to Jesus in a special way. Trying to live like Jesus and as he would have us live we have a chance to live in freedom, hope and peace. By simple living even in the midst of plenty we can, in fact, grow each day more deeply to live as we were created to be- in the image and likeness of God. Seeking to live as Jesus did not clinging to people, possessions, or power we can with him share this freedom, hope and peace. In fact, the fullness of life. This is ours when and if, like Jesus, we let go and let God. Like Jesus, may we seek Gods will, not ours. May we surrender even as he did. God has given us this vow of poverty to help us do so, May each of us use it, and live it well! Peace, Hope, and Love unto the New Year!