It is our Congregation’s commitment to make justice, peace and integrity of creation (JPIC) a way of life for every SSpS in the world. According to Fr. Jürgen Ommerborn SVD, our resource person, although our Founding Generation did not know these words—JPIC—nevertheless, in making this commitment a reality, we can draw inspiration from the words they left us, which he quoted so often throughout his presentation.
Justice is right relationships between people, between people and creation, between people and God. These three relationships formed the structure of Fr. Jürgen’s sharing, inspired by the motto: “May the Holy Triune God live in our hearts and in the hearts of all people.†Fr. Albert Rohner who studied thoroughly this motto pointed out that Fr. Arnold did not say: May the Holy Triune God dwell in our hearts, but live in our hearts. His wish is that the Triune God who dwells in us is alive in us; that we respond to the Trinity’s love with our love.
JUSTICE as right relationships with God and with one another:
The words of our Founding Generation about justice as right relationships with God and with one another challenge us. For us, the spiritual daughters and sons of Fr. Arnold and the heirs of our Founding Generation, Justice(PIC) is to be a way of life rooted in our Trinitarian Spirituality; or, Justice(PIC) is a result of the Holy Triune God living in our hearts. The Holy Triune God wants to be active within us, God wants to transform our hearts into hearts full of love for God and our fellow human beings. And the words of our founding generation can assist us in living up to that challenge showing us how we can let the Holy Triune God be active in our hearts.
Once our hearts have been transformed, we can go about transforming the world, that means helping people to let the Holy Triune God live in their hearts as well.
PEACE:
“If you want peace, work for justice” (Pope Paul VI). However, it is a very special kind of justice; it is God’s justice and that justice is always connected with love, mercy and forgiveness. Only that kind of justice will bring peace.
Pray God to let our planet at long last become the Planet of Peace. And sing in unison with all humanity: “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.†(Robert Murray)
Integrity of Creation:
Notes taken by Margareta Messner from the retreat talks before the investiture of the first SSpS novices…
Every being is created for the place where it lives. Some plants blossom in springtime, others in summer or autumn.
For a missionary sister it is a very special task to show from nature that there is a God. Therefore it is very good when you collect for yourselves thoughts from nature. Nature proclaims its God, its creator. Look at the birds, how they find their way back home coming from distant lands and later find their way back there again. O, what great wisdom of God is hidden in all of this!
In conclusion, Fr. Ommerborn said that as SSpS and SVDs we are to be at the service of life and not of death. Â JPIC, therefore, cannot be a theory we reflect upon once in a while but it has to be part and parcel of our missionary life. Â It has to be a way of life for us.
The input and the reflection of the resource person from this topic draw me an inspiration for our mission in education field especially in our School institution. The SSpS provinces which have school institutions should team up in networking together by designing a special curriculum for JPIC subject that contains theory and practice (which is called “service of life” subject). Through this course, we can awaken the hearts and minds of our students and sharpen their awareness being integrated persons. According to my opinion, education can change and transform the mindset of students. So, as an SSpS, ’empowered by the Spirit, sharing Good News among peoples’ not just a slogan but coloring our school with our Trinitarian spirituality. One in the life-nurturing Spirit, valentinessps
Beautiful reflection….. May the Spirit continue to guide you specially throughout these days!
I am simply fascinated by the way we can follow the general chapter this time as it unfolds and proceeds. Many thoughts and reflections resonate already in my heart and inspire me or correlate to what is going on in my own study , prayer and meditation. We continue to pray for the chapter and trust that the Holy Spirit is guiding the Congregation to embrace its mission in our present world with new fervour and commitment.