Today's Marists 2024 Volume 8, Issue 2
Broadening Our Marist Mission of Reconciliation to Creation by Samu Tukidia, SM, Formator, Marist College, Suva, Fiji and Lecturer in Philosophy, Pacific Regional Seminary, Suva, Fiji We live in an era of brokenness and fragmentation both within the human environment and natural environment. Violence in its many forms dominates our headlines. How do we as Marists respond to such times? Fr. John Larsen, SM, the Superior General of the Society of Mary, once noted that as Marists we are called to be “bridge-builders, instruments of reconciliation, (and) bearers of the Good News.” Reconciliation, then, lies at the heart of our Marist mission. And yet this call to be agents of reconciliation is not limited only to humanity, but must incorporate the whole creation. This deeper and broader understanding of our mission can only be had when we see our mission as participating in the work of Christ. For the work of Christ is the blueprint of all missions. Communion: The Goal of Reconciliation God created our vast universe to share his life and love. Creation was formed for communion with the Trinity. However, this goal of communion was thwarted, and death, brokenness and fragmentation crept into creation through sin. At the Incarnation, the Son became not only human but also material to reweave the tapestry of communion between God and His creation. As such the whole goal of the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Trinity is to reconcile creation back to God, to mend the brokenness that had slipped into creation through our first parents. Sin damages three kinds of relationships: with God, with each other and with creation. Most Catholic practices focus only on reconciliation with two of these relationships, with God and with each other. However, Pope Francis in Laudato Si’ challenges us to also focus on reconciliation with creation. From this perspective Christ’s suffering and death Christ Enthroned in His Creation, Christina DeMichele, christinademichele.com are not only limited to washing away our sins, but are aimed at reconciling the whole of creation back with the Trinity. The Son entrusted his followers to continue this mission as the Church is the prolongation of the Incarnation into history. Through our baptism we participate in this ongoing mission of Christ to reconcile all creation and to “bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.” (Eph 1:10) Edwin Keel, SM noted that the clearest expression of Marist mission occurs in the 1833 Summarium written by our Founder Fr. Jean- Claude Colin: “The aim of the Society is to gather all the members of Christ so that at the end of time as at the beginning all the faithful may be one heart and one mind in the Church.” As Fr. Keel stated, the Society`s mission is to reproduce among all the faithful the idea of communion, one heart and one mind, that was found, according to the Acts of the Apostles, among the early Christians. This goal of communion is only achieved through the work of reconciliation. In Laudato Si’ and Laudate Deum, Pope Francis challenges us to broaden this mission of reconciliation from human beings to all creation. Pope Francis calls us to an ecological conversion whereby the effects of our encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in our relationship with the world around us. The Sacraments: Enfleshing Reconciliation The sacraments are not simply a Jesus and I relationship fixer, nor are they simply a Jesus, I and other people relationship healer. Rather, the sacraments are built on a comprehensive interconnected vision of creation. The sacraments are the instruments through which reconciliation between God and his creation is enfleshed. The liturgy is the central act through which the sacraments are enacted. As such the goal of the liturgy is the goal of the sacraments: reconciliation and communion between God and His creation. In the Eucharist, which especially points to this reality, creation (the material elements of wine and bread) is transformed into the body and blood of Christ. The Jesuit priest Teilhard de Chardin writes that the transubstantiated Host is the anticipation of the transformation and divinization of matter in the Christological “fullness.” As such, the Eucharist provides the movement of the cosmos with its direction: it anticipates its goal (communion with God) and at the same time urges it on. Such a “cosmic liturgy” is both eschatological and missional. To celebrate the Eucharist is to anticipate what it signifies, to participate in its promises and to be part of a community committed to those aims. The goal of the Society of Mary (communion - one heart and one mind) and the goal of the cosmos (communion with the Trinity) meet in the Eucharist. As such, the goal of Marist life (communion) not only gives direction to our mission but is also encountered in every Eucharistic celebration. The Eucharist weaves communion back into our broken relationships. After every Eucharistic celebration we go out 14 Today’s Marists Magazine
Pouono Vea (3rd year seminarian at Marist College, Suva, Fiji) planting cabbages on raised beds to enflesh the reconciliation and communion between God and creation that we experienced at the altar. After every celebration of the Eucharist, we depart with the goal of restoring broken relationships and directing our relationships (with God, other people, and creation) back to God. Reconciliation Ecology: Restoring Relationship with Creation The mission of reconciliation is not with creation that resides “out there” someplace. No, this vision emphasizes that we are part of creation - our bodies, our buildings, our cars, our yards, et cetera, are part of creation. We are challenged to live in ecologically affirming ways that enhance biodiversity and restore ecological functionality in our world. This is an environmental stewardship that faithfully reflects God’s love in the world and is to be done “in accordance with the rhythm and the logic of creation.” (Joseph Ratzinger, In the Beginning: A Catholic Understanding of the Story of Creation and the Fall) Pope Benedict speaks of the natural world as endowed with a “grammar” which, when properly grasped, “sets forth ends and criteria for its wise use, not its reckless exploitation.” (Caritas in Veritate) Becoming literate again in the language of God’s earth is essential to any quest that would seek to preserve and cherish the gift of creation. Such a vision and way of life would also explore questions about the future of biodiversity and the environmental integrity of our planet: How do we construct buildings that generate more energy than they use? How do we change the way we grow food so that our agricultural systems accumulate, rather than erode, healthy topsoil? How do we change the way we live so that native biodiversity is attracted back to our urban and suburban areas? The concrete exploration of such questions is part of our reconciliation with creation. Reconciliation whether it is with God, other people or creation is always hard work and challenging. The living out of the mission of reconciliation with creation has to begin at home. It starts by cultivating a constant sense of awareness of the sustainability of our lifestyle. In my community at Marist College in Fiji, the focus is on food, waste, water use, vegetable gardening, landscaping and power. For food, we have incorporated a couple of plant-based meals and decreased our meat consumption. In waste management, we have increased the quantity of waste Three raised beds made using earthbag technology (earth or soil mixed with cement) in front of the dining room at Marist College, Suva, Fiji bins to accommodate different categories of waste materials. In water use we have erected water tanks to collect rainwater which supplement our water supply. We have a compost bin which has been providing nutrition for our garden the past four years. In our vegetable garden we practice permaculture, a land management approach that follows principles that factor in whole-systems thinking. On landscaping, we use earthbag technology for making raised beds and beautifying our landscape. Finally, on power, we have lowered our energy footprints by changing all our lights to LED. These projects have given us a sense of urgency in recognizing our responsibility to care for the Earth and the poor of the Earth in the way we live. Reconciliation: The Heart of Marist Mission Our mission as Marists shares in the mission of Christ. By our baptism we participate in the ongoing mission of Christ to reconcile all creation and “bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.” (Eph. 1:10) As we live in this era of massive ecological degradation, Pope Francis calls us to ecological conversion. Our relationship with Christ should be evident in all our relationships: with God, with others, and with all of creation. To truly exemplify that reconciliation is at the heart of our Marist mission means that we will grow new attitudes and be educated and aware of the ecological and human stress suffered by those affected by ecological degradation. We will be people who care for the weak, both for the vulnerable earth and the poorest brothers and sisters in society; we will have hearts open to true friendship based on the natural and social world in which we live; we will be deeply aware of inequality and injustice that results from both a corrupt social system and a utilitarian approach to creation, and seek a more just distribution of resources; and we will live simply and be aware of our impact on creation. In doing so we become instruments of reconciliation. As Marists, we participate in the healing of a broken and fragmented people and creation. However, it is a healing that will only be perfected at the end of time when finally, “creation itself will be set free from its enslavement to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” (Rom. 8:19-21) Volume 8 | Issue 2 15
- Page 1 and 2: Today’s 2024 | Volume 8 | Issue 2
- Page 3 and 4: from the Provincial Rev. Joseph Hin
- Page 5 and 6: published in 2013 prior to these tw
- Page 7 and 8: Top (L & R): World Interfaith Harmo
- Page 9 and 10: One Hundred Mass Intentions. Who is
- Page 11 and 12: stereotypes and deepen mutual respe
- Page 13: to the periphery.” At the same ti
- Page 17 and 18: Striving to Live the Marist Values
- Page 19 and 20: NDP Middle School Reconciliation se
- Page 21 and 22: have anointed your head with oil?
- Page 23 and 24: concerns to Jesus without coercing
- Page 25 and 26: News Briefs 25th Anniversary of the
- Page 27 and 28: Will your legacy be the momentum th
Broadening Our Marist Mission<br />
of Reconciliation to Creation<br />
by Samu Tukidia, SM, Formator, Marist College, Suva, Fiji and Lecturer in Philosophy, Pacific Regional Seminary, Suva, Fiji<br />
We live in an era of brokenness and fragmentation both within<br />
the human environment and natural environment. Violence in<br />
its many forms dominates our headlines. How do we as <strong>Marists</strong><br />
respond to such times? Fr. John Larsen, SM, the Superior General<br />
of the Society of Mary, once noted that as <strong>Marists</strong> we are called to<br />
be “bridge-builders, instruments of reconciliation, (and) bearers<br />
of the Good News.” Reconciliation, then, lies at the heart of our<br />
Marist mission. And yet this call to be agents of reconciliation is not<br />
limited only to humanity, but must incorporate the whole creation.<br />
This deeper and broader understanding of our mission can only be<br />
had when we see our mission as participating in the work of Christ.<br />
For the work of Christ is the blueprint of all missions.<br />
Communion:<br />
The Goal of Reconciliation<br />
God created our vast universe to share his life and love. Creation<br />
was formed for communion with the Trinity. However, this<br />
goal of communion was thwarted, and death, brokenness and<br />
fragmentation crept into creation through sin. At the Incarnation,<br />
the Son became not only human but also material to reweave the<br />
tapestry of communion between God and His creation. As such the<br />
whole goal of the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Trinity is<br />
to reconcile creation back to God, to mend the brokenness that had<br />
slipped into creation through our first parents. Sin damages three<br />
kinds of relationships: with God, with each other and with creation.<br />
Most Catholic practices focus only on reconciliation with two of<br />
these relationships, with God and with each other. However, Pope<br />
Francis in Laudato Si’ challenges us to also focus on reconciliation<br />
with creation. From this perspective Christ’s suffering and death<br />
Christ Enthroned in His Creation, Christina DeMichele, christinademichele.com<br />
are not only limited to washing away our sins, but are aimed at<br />
reconciling the whole of creation back with the Trinity. The Son<br />
entrusted his followers to continue this mission as the Church is the<br />
prolongation of the Incarnation into history. Through our baptism<br />
we participate in this ongoing mission of Christ to reconcile all<br />
creation and to “bring all things in heaven and on earth together in<br />
Christ.” (Eph 1:10)<br />
Edwin Keel, SM noted that the clearest expression of Marist mission<br />
occurs in the 1833 Summarium written by our Founder Fr. Jean-<br />
Claude Colin: “The aim of the Society is to gather all the members of<br />
Christ so that at the end of time as at the beginning all the faithful<br />
may be one heart and one mind in the Church.” As Fr. Keel stated,<br />
the Society`s mission is to reproduce among all the faithful the idea<br />
of communion, one heart and one mind, that was found, according<br />
to the Acts of the Apostles, among the early Christians. This goal of<br />
communion is only achieved through the work of reconciliation.<br />
In Laudato Si’ and Laudate Deum, Pope Francis challenges us to<br />
broaden this mission of reconciliation from human beings to all<br />
creation. Pope Francis calls us to an ecological conversion whereby<br />
the effects of our encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in<br />
our relationship with the world around us.<br />
The Sacraments:<br />
Enfleshing Reconciliation<br />
The sacraments are not simply a Jesus and I relationship fixer,<br />
nor are they simply a Jesus, I and other people relationship<br />
healer. Rather, the sacraments are built on a comprehensive<br />
interconnected vision of creation. The sacraments are the<br />
instruments through which reconciliation between God and his<br />
creation is enfleshed. The liturgy is the central act through which<br />
the sacraments are enacted. As such the goal of the liturgy is the<br />
goal of the sacraments: reconciliation and communion between<br />
God and His creation. In the Eucharist, which especially points to<br />
this reality, creation (the material elements of wine and bread) is<br />
transformed into the body and blood of Christ. The Jesuit priest<br />
Teilhard de Chardin writes that the transubstantiated Host is the<br />
anticipation of the transformation and divinization of matter in<br />
the Christological “fullness.” As such, the Eucharist provides the<br />
movement of the cosmos with its direction: it anticipates its goal<br />
(communion with God) and at the same time urges it on.<br />
Such a “cosmic liturgy” is both eschatological and missional.<br />
To celebrate the Eucharist is to anticipate what it signifies,<br />
to participate in its promises and to be part of a community<br />
committed to those aims. The goal of the Society of Mary<br />
(communion - one heart and one mind) and the goal of the<br />
cosmos (communion with the Trinity) meet in the Eucharist. As<br />
such, the goal of Marist life (communion) not only gives direction<br />
to our mission but is also encountered in every Eucharistic<br />
celebration. The Eucharist weaves communion back into our<br />
broken relationships. After every Eucharistic celebration we go out<br />
14 Today’s <strong>Marists</strong> Magazine
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