April 01, 2007

Unifying and Reconciling Love

Last week when I was working on my charism paper I didn't speak much to the reconciliation piece of the CSJ charism. That actually worked out well as my intercommunity novitiate session on Wednesday was on reconciliation. What an excellent presentation! One of the points made was a distinction between conflict resolution and conflict transformation. Conflict resolution is a problem solving piece. Conflict transformation, on the other hand, works with the vision of relationship. The presenter spoke of reconciliation as a spirituality not a strategy, and truly as a gift made possible only in God. Everything has been charism these last couple of weeks. It's kind of like when I hear a word or about some other concept for the first time. It always pops up again right quick.

As far as my paper goes, I've been reading all of these arguments about charism: if it should be called something different, if charism can be passed on, if all orders or congregations have/need to have a charism, etc., etc. Right now it all seems pretty nit picky. All I know is that there is some connection. Call it whatever you want.

One author stated that charisms cannot be owned. I would hope ours couldn't be. What good is unity and reconciliation if we have sole ownership?! Spread it! Share it! Pass it on!

So, it's been a long weekend. A small group of us got together to chat about community Friday night. I babysat all day yesterday before heading to a friend's birthday party. And today Pat's Goddaughter from Zwolle, LA made her first communion at Nazareth. Precious. I'll have to download some of the pictures. For now, I am looking forward to Holy Week and the extra time to pray and be (and I guess keep working on/thinking about charism). For now, off to see how the Cardinals are doing. Opening game and we were losing five to nothing when I left to do this. It's a long season. Go Cards!

--Sarah

3 comments:

  1. Charism.....the gift that keeps on giving. Thanks for this reflection as we begin Holy Week. This is the week of 'loving union' and how we are to be the 'great love of God'.

    Thanks so much.
    Marianne

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  2. Hey there, Sarah. Some very positive aspects of our religious life to consider this week, yes? And you have captured several. I agree with you regarding the presentation. It provided me with lots to think about; I see that it did the same for you. See you later and tomorrow for on-going discussion of, "Shadow Dance".
    Director of the Novice here!

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  3. Charism... Conflict "transformation..." Thanks so much for sharing these concepts and your insights with us/ME. Offers much to ponder.

    Pat M

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