Together Walking the Path of Hope
(reflection on the motto of the XXXIV General Chapter CR)
We are all pilgrims on the same journey;
but only some have more accurate maps.
(Nelson DeMille)
I would like to congratulate the Chapter Preparatory Commission on the good start of choosing and formulating the theme/motto of the XXXIV General Chapter CR. Already at the first reading of these four coherent words, one senses content that refers to Francis' "synodality" immersed in the Bible, in our history, and in ecclesiology. I will explain this step by step, tapping on individual words, their clusters, and finally the entire sentence equivalent. I say "equivalent" because this string of words with the verb in the infinitive (to go) is not a classic sentence. That is, there is no proper predicate here, as the infinitive functions as a subject that includes all who are the recipients of this message, so this motto could alternatively sound: "Walking together on the path of hope is the duty of all Resurrectionists." The imperative that emerges from this expression is also not to be overlooked, so it could be formulated even more succinctly: "We must walk together on the path of hope."
That's all – by way of introduction – about the "architecture" of the chapter/capital motto. Now we will proceed to tap on individual words and their clusters ("together walk", "path of hope") and the entire motto ("together walk the path of hope").
1) Together, meaning jointly
The adverb is a part of speech that indicates some dependence, lack of independence, bond: the adverb is attached to the word/verb. Our word together is an adverb/adjective of manner because it announces how the action specified by the verb to go should be performed. Together primarily signals that it must be a collective subject, composed of many people, and that they all have to go simultaneously, jointly, collectively, in unison, side by side, one after another. This excludes any walking alone, "wildly", in separation, apart, separately, independently, alone, on one's own.
It seems – especially when reading documents related to the XVI Synod of Bishops – that the adverb together is the Pope Francis' favorite word. Here are some quotes: "Walking together - the faithful, shepherds, the Bishop of Rome - is an idea easy to express in words, but not so easy to put into practice" (p. 8); "The Church is nothing but 'walking together' of God's flock on the paths of history to meet Christ the Lord" (p. 11); "As a Church that 'walks together' with people, participating in the struggles of history, we dream that rediscovering the inviolable dignity of the human person and the service function of authority can also help civil society" (p. 15). These are words from a speech during the ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Synod of Bishops (October 17, 2015). In this spirit, he also spoke to the Oblate missionaries (October 5, 2022): "Rediscover the beauty and significance of walking together. I encourage you to be promoters of communion through acts of solidarity, closeness, synodality, and fraternity with everyone."
A month before the solemn start of the current synod (i.e., September 18, 2021), the Pope, speaking to the faithful of the Roman diocese, devoted the entire catechesis to the Synod; he then explained some threads. "The Church moves forward, walks together, is synodal. But it is always the Holy Spirit who is the great protagonist of the Church; Shepherds walk with the people, sometimes in front, sometimes in the middle, sometimes behind. A good shepherd must move in this way: in front, to lead the flock, in the middle, to encourage the journey and not forget the smell of the flock, behind, because the people also have their 'good sense'. They have a sense of how to seek new paths or find those that were lost; The Church, with its ability to discern, needs, reality of life, and the power of the Spirit, moves forward, walks together, is synodal; The Church strengthens when it rediscovers that it is a people that wants to move forward together, with itself and with humanity. The Roman people are a multitude of all nations and states. What an extraordinary wealth this diversity is!"
When I read these papal revelations, I think that here Francis' genius intuition came to the fore, who realizes that "Rome wasn't built in a day", that the faithful do not immediately experience ecclesial community or mystical communion. The first stage on this path seems to be a group where people simply gather together, without any bonds or commitments; they just come together and walk together, for example, to manifest something, demonstrate (for or against) or experience something together (a match, a concert). The next stage would be a community; here, those gathered together already have a common goal, common formation, common celebrations, and even common property. The highest manifestation of community in the Church is communion, where the symptom is a close union with God and people.
The International Theological Commission reminds: "The Eucharist creates communion and fosters communion with God and with our brothers and sisters. Created by Christ through the Holy Spirit, communion is shared by men and women who, having the same dignity as the baptized, receive from the Father and responsibly fulfill various vocations - stemming from baptism, confirmation, holy orders, and special gifts of the Holy Spirit - to create one Body from many members."
On the pages of Scripture, various communities appear: from marital, through tribal and national, to apostolic. After all, God, calling us to life, wanted us to participate in the community of the Holy Trinity. But it wasn't just about community with Him. When creating, He said: It is not good for man to be alone, I will make a suitable helper for him (Gen 2:18). He created woman and man to be in unity, created a family that reflects the Triune God. The Bible is a book about community. In the Old Covenant, God chose the Israelites to be His people; in the New, He calls a new community - the Church, which is the mystical Body of Christ, a community of believers. Thus, God planned our life as a community endeavor, because together is safer, there is strength in numbers, because the community strengthens, helps, and supports.
2) To go, meaning walking
Our adverb together is related to the infinitive verb to go; it modifies and specifies it. The infinitive itself is a part of speech in a dictionary form, without person, tense, voice, mood, and number. The word to go enjoys, of course, numerous "relatives" (synonyms); for example: walk, rush, march, run, stride, proceed, travel, pilgrimage, tread, hurry, stroll, wander, move foot by foot, limp, roam, plod, be on the road. As can be seen, all these verbs are about movement (forward), about motion (in varying intensity and form), about putting one foot in front of the other, moving from point A to point B, and thus changing one's position.
The opposite (antonyms) of these dynamic terms are words that speak of a lack of any movement, lack of change and action: apathy, immobility, inactivity, inertia, lifelessness, stagnation, immobilism, impasse, standstill, lethargy, passivity, stagnation, unchangeability, indifference, quietism, paralysis, ossification, stagnation. It's something like the military command: march in place; then you should move your feet, but as if something is stalling: the road does not decrease, and nothing changes. Meanwhile – as all the wise around proclaim – movement is life; life consists of movement, and movement is its essence. Unfortunately, most of us forget this truth and lead a sedentary lifestyle, which later affects health.
Pope Francis knows that the same happens in the Church, which is why on various occasions he asks not to "sit still", calls for getting off the couch (which is an image: activity, revival, mobilization, movement) and to set out on the road: "We think that to be happy, we need a good couch. A couch that helps us live comfortably, peacefully, quite safely. A couch – like those that are now, modern, including soothing massages; that guarantee hours of peace, to transfer us to the world of video games and spending many hours in front of the computer. A couch for all types of pain and fear. A couch that keeps us locked in the house, not bothering or worrying. We did not come into the world to 'vegetate', to spend life comfortably, we came for another reason, to leave a mark. It's very sad when we go through life without leaving a trace. And when we choose comfort, mistaking happiness for consumption, then the price we pay is very, very high: we lose freedom. No, we are free so that we can leave a mark. Jesus is not the Lord of comfort, safety, and convenience. To follow Jesus, you need a little courage, you need to decide to swap the couch for a pair of shoes that will help you walk on roads you never dreamed of, or even thought of, on roads that can open new horizons, suitable for spreading joy, that joy that is born from the love of God, the joy that leaves in your heart every gesture, every act of mercy." So said the Pope to young people from all over the world during the vigil at the World Youth Days in Krakow, July 30, 2016.
And at another time (in the aforementioned speech to the faithful of the Roman diocese, September 18, 2021) he explained that "stagnation cannot be a good state for the Church. Movement is the consequence of submitting to the action of the Holy Spirit, who is the director of this story, in which everyone is tireless protagonists of the foreground, never freezing in immobility." And in general, Pope Francis repeatedly addresses clergy and faithful with a request not to be satisfied with percentages of people present in the church, but to have the courage to set out with the Good News to the outskirts and peripheries of the world.
Every general chapter in the order – as a collegial body of authority and management in a solemn form and endowed with the highest authority in the institute – acts similarly to a starter of an internal combustion engine or better: a heart pacemaker, whose task is to stimulate, accelerate the heart rhythm and monitor it. Our Constitutions among the basic tasks of the chapter list: "care for the common good of the Congregation, promoting the unity of the Congregation, stimulating cooperation within the Congregation and assessing its fidelity to the charism." This energy to stimulate the hearts of our community flows from the Holy Spirit, who, offering us the gift of courage, helps draw strength for life from the very source of vitality and movement, from God Himself. Therefore, chapters always begin with a prayer of supplication to the Holy Spirit: Veni Creator...
In the Old Testament, the longest journey to be covered was by the chosen people when with Abraham from Ur (in Mesopotamia) at the head, they went to the Promised Land, and then under the leadership of Moses from Egyptian slavery through the desert and Sinai (where God gave the Decalogue) for forty years wandered to Palestine, which was to be "a land flowing with milk and honey." Therefore, later, when Israel departed from the Lord, the prophet Hosea recalls the journey through the desert comparing it to the period of betrothal and announces a return to the desert (cf. Hos 2).
In the New Testament, Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem, and the Three Kings; in the name of spreading the faith, Jesus travels with the apostles and disciples, always heading towards Jerusalem, where he will be crucified on Golgotha and resurrect. The motif of "walking" is presented by Jesus in the parable of the prodigal son, who leaves his father's house and goes into the world on a journey, and then, recognizing his own mistakes and errors, returns repentant to the father's house. And the last words the Risen One addressed to the apostles were formulated in the imperative: "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation" (Mk 16:15). And immediately the evangelist adds: "They (indeed) went and preached the Gospel everywhere" (Mk 16:20).
Pope Francis noted: "Today in Jesus' 'go' there are always new scenarios and challenges of the Church's evangelizing mission. We are all called to this missionary 'exit'. Every Christian and every community should discern which path they should follow according to the Lord's call, but we are all invited to accept this call: to go out of our comfort and have the courage to reach all the peripheries of the world in need of the light of the Gospel." Incredible journeys are also undertaken by the apostle Paul, establishing the first Churches and supporting them with teaching, comfort, encouragement, pointing out the right paths. The same can be said about Jesus' disciples and all missionaries in the history of the Church.
In beautiful literature, the motif of wandering/pilgrimage is very popular and appears in every era. It is impossible to recall all the examples here, but I cannot resist mentioning three beautiful lyricists. Our fourth bard Cyprian Kamil Norwid (1821-1883) presents the titular pilgrim as a religious man who remains in the bosom of heaven, and heaven carries his soul like a pyramid. and as long as he goes, he has as much earth as his foot covers. Edward Stachura (1937-1979), a poet-traveler by passion, emphasizes with the title of the poem that life is one journey of a man. This journey, whose roads and time no one knows, constitutes the essence of our existence. It is important to keep going, not to give up and not to look back. In the last stanza, the poet almost shouts: As long as I have strength, I will go, I will run, I will not give up. Zbigniew Herbert (1924-1998), hiding behind the fictional character of the traveler Mr. Cogito, offers a fervent poetic prayer to God, full of gratitude for discovering good and wise people, which emanates with admiration for the beauty of creation, for the good and richness of this world. Along the way, he recalls people from whom he experienced good, evokes beautiful images of nature and works of art. Subsequent episodes reflect the richness of the world created by a good God. The poem also has a thanksgiving character. Mr. Cogito/Herbert, enchanted by the beauty of the world, feels admiration and gratitude for the Creator. He perceives the world as complex, diverse, rich. He sees beauty in seemingly ordinary phenomena: a small donkey on the island of Corfu sang to me from its incomprehensible bellows of lungs the melancholy of the landscape. The prayer ends with an act of personal request and thanks: that I may understand other people, other languages, other sufferings, and above all, that I may be humble, that is, one who desires the source, thank you, Lord, that you created the world beautiful and different, and if this is your seduction, I am seduced forever and without forgiveness.
In summary: the topos of wandering can be understood in two ways. Literally, it means a journey, a trip, wandering, walking, moving. Figuratively, it refers to human life, which appears as one great journey: from birth to death, from cradle to grave.
3. Together walking, meaning a pilgrim community
Already these two words – according to contemporary ecclesiology – suggest looking at the Church (and at the same time at our Congregation, which is "in the Church and for the Church") as a living community (communio). "Living" – because it is in motion, animated by the action of the Holy Spirit; "living" – because it is moving towards the goal, which is eternal life, the salvation of all people, and the synonym of salvation is heaven – the most holy place. Since this is a supernatural and religious goal, this "walking together" can be called a pilgrimage (peregrinatio), which dictionaries define as "a journey undertaken for religious reasons to a holy place."
The exhortation Vita consecrata (from March 25, 1996) uses in this context the term: signum fraternitatis (sign of brotherhood) and explains: "The undeniable merit of consecrated life is that thanks to it, the Church continues to feel the need for brotherhood as a confession of faith in the Trinity. Through the persistent development of brotherly love – including in the community – it has shown that participation in Trinitarian communion can transform human relationships and create a new type of solidarity. In this way, it shows people both the beauty of brotherly communion and concrete paths to it. Consecrated persons live for God and from God, and precisely because of this, they can testify to the power of grace that brings reconciliation and destroys mechanisms contrary to unity, present in the heart of man and in social relations." This is the vision of consecrated life, which has the obligation written on its banners to love every person and serve everyone, because God is revealed in them. This is the vision of the order, which is not only an institution with its law and structures – but above all a mission and mission.
Walking together, we listen and talk to each other, that is, we discern and seek the right answers to emerging problems. This is a slow and tedious process, but we must enter into it. There is no other way. The General Secretariat of the Synod explains: "Walking together and reflecting together on the path traveled, the Church will be able to learn from what it knows and experiences, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Enlightened by the Word of God and united in prayer, we will be able to discern which processes can help in seeking God's will and follow the paths God calls us to – towards greater communion, fuller participation, and greater openness to fulfilling our mission in the world."
It is known that specialists in discernment are (after St. Ignatius and his Spiritual Exercises) the Jesuit order, and the Pope is a Jesuit and lives the Jesuit spirituality, which is why he uses this word in almost all his speeches, and calls for all Christians to practice discernment. At one time (January 9, 2020) the current general (Arturo Sosa SJ) wrote about leadership and discernment as follows: "The problem is that today there are probably as many ways of understanding discernment as there are Catholics walking the world! Each of us interprets it in our own way... Of course, every discernment is not easy. We know this on an individual level. How to interpret the movements of our spirit, distinguish spirits, separate the wheat from the chaff, distinguish movements that lead to life from those that lead to death. As we know well, we need good and wise spiritual accompaniment. If this is the case for individual discernment, how much more do we need it in groups!" Therefore, in every community (even more so in a chapter!) a member is necessary who, open to the Holy Spirit, sees deeper and further.
What does this mean for the Resurrectionists? First, it is a challenge for us not to sit in our dug-out holes, because we may be attacked by spiritual lumbago; secondly: these two words invite us to go out, which is necessary to get somewhere, which fits into the paschal spirituality; thirdly: "together walking" excludes all forms of individualism and separatism, and invites to joint initiatives and actions. You enter heaven as a community. In the Letter to the Hebrews (Heb 11:10.16; 12:22; 13:14) there is talk of a "city", that is, a community. So you cannot be saved in solitary self-satisfaction, in a sense of chosenness, individually, narcissistically without relationships with others. You can be saved only in community, that is, in the city.
Our Constitutions emphasize the value of this community with a simple sentence: "The strength of our Congregation depends on the intense spiritual life and fruitful apostolate of each local community", and further invoke the powers of the Holy Spirit: "Thanks to the power of the Holy Spirit, we can become a visible sign that it is possible to live together in love according to the gospel principles." And one more thing: When we walk together, we not only talk but also work together; then one complements the other. We mutually enrich each other, because each has a perspective from a different angle and each is enriching.
And finally: during the journey, remember: wandering is an effort, and every effort tires, brings weakness, loss of strength. During this pilgrimage through the earth, you need to take care of some regenerating meal, because your own strength is not enough to reach the finish line, to the heavenly kingdom. The best meal is the one that the Lord Jesus gives us: Bread from heaven. Without this Bread, which is Christ's body for the life of the world, we will not reach the designated goal.
4. Path, meaning a strip of land for movement
To say that the path (via) – that is, a designated and marked strip of land, properly marked and hardened, intended for movement – has always accompanied man, is to say nothing. Yes, we know that this word has many aspects and dimensions: material, spiritual, cultural, scientific. Just take a look at the map to see different categories and classes of roads: internal and public, local and common, national, provincial, county and municipal, access and field, highways and expressways.
The word path also has a whole range of synonyms: avenue, artery, highway, boulevard, trail, road, route, bypass, path, promenade, street, voyage, route, road, path, track, route. All kinds of roads and paths are there so that you don't go cross-country, on a saga, through swamps, mud, meadows, quagmires, marshes, rough terrain; so as not to wander on wastelands, deserts, and backroads.
Let's recall that the earliest and natural paths were animal-trodden paths, which were later used by people. Over time, trade routes appeared (e.g., amber, silk, or salt). Trying to answer the question of what benefits/advantages the path has for man, it can be said that the network of roads facilitates interpersonal contacts, enables the transport of goods (trade), supports communication, and helps in moving the eternal pilgrim (homo viator). Because the entire human existence has a wandering/pilgrim character. Being on the road is the basic condition of man. Being on the road, you also need to remember what Fr. Paweł Szerlowski, a priest of the Wrocław archdiocese, sings: "Our life is a journey without return, and wandering somewhere to the goal there on the other shore. You won't take anything but the good you give them." So the path of human life, like earthly time, has its end and is not subject to returns and repetitions.
The International Theological Commission explains the phenomenon of the path as follows: "The path is an image that explains our understanding of the mystery of Christ as the Way that leads to the Father. Jesus is the way from God to man and from man to God... The Church walks with Christ, through Christ, and in Christ. He, the Traveler, the Way, and the Homeland, gives His Spirit of love so that we may follow 'the more perfect way' in Him. The Church is called to follow in the footsteps of its Lord until His return. It is the People of the way heading to the heavenly kingdom." Being "on the road" cannot mean a provisional existence, and thus neglect of temporal and earthly matters. God wants man to achieve a significant stage of future glory already on this earth. "On the road" means moving forward, a kind of mobilization, change, progress, and development.
The Bible presents us with many different paths. There are paths where the population of the earth and exile from paradise take place; there are paths of wandering, dispersion throughout the earth; there is Abraham's path, there are the paths of the prophets and the Israeli exodus. The New Testament also describes numerous paths: there is Mary's path to Elizabeth, the Holy Family's path to Bethlehem, to Egypt, and to the temple in Jerusalem, there is Christ's path with the disciples through towns and villages in Galilee and beyond, there are the paths of His disciples sent to the whole world to the ends of the earth, there are admirable Pauline paths/apostolic journeys. On these biblical paths, important salvific events sometimes took place. In the Acts of the Apostles, Christianity, as a new religion, was called "the way". The first Christians believed that they had found the right path to happiness. It was the teaching of Christ and He Himself, who called Himself "the Way" (cf. Jn 14:6-7). Only those who follow Him can reach the Father through Him.
We are all called to the path, to "exit". Pope Francis writes: "Every Christian and every community should discern which path they should follow according to the Lord's call, but we are all invited to accept this call: to go out of our comfort and have the courage to reach all the peripheries of the world in need of the light of the Gospel... It is vital that the Church, faithfully following the Master's pattern, goes out today to preach the Gospel to all people, in every place, on every occasion, without delay, without reluctance, and without fear. The joy of the Gospel is for all people, it cannot exclude anyone from participating in it."
The Church, which is on the road, is by its nature missionary, because it goes to the world to share the Good News with others. It cannot remain "at home", but must "go outside" and introduce those encountered, often excluded and marginalized, to this path on which it travels. Such a perspective refers us to the vision of the Church, which is a mission (missio). Life consecrated is also a mission, as emphasized by Vita consecrata: "Under the action of the Holy Spirit, who is the source of every vocation and charism, consecrated life itself becomes a mission, just as the entire life of Jesus was... Religious life will be more apostolic, the deeper its dedication to the Lord Jesus, the more community life is permeated with the spirit of brotherhood, and the more zealously engaged in fulfilling the particular mission of the Institute."
5. Hope, meaning the virtue of the road
Dictionaries generally define hope as "the expectation of the fulfillment of something desired and confidence that it will be realized." Or they emphasize that "hope is the desire for the fulfillment of what we expect." They also offer numerous synonyms that are not entirely synonymous with the essence of hope. If we look into the catechism, we will find hope among the Theological virtues: between faith and love. This means that it is closest to faith and love. Benedict XVI in the encyclical Spe salvi (November 30, 2007) at the very beginning proclaims directly that "faith is hope" and explains: "In some biblical texts, the words 'faith' and 'hope' seem to be used interchangeably... It appears (it) as a distinguishing element of Christians, the fact that they have a future: they do not know exactly what awaits them, but in general, they know that their life does not end in emptiness. Only when the future is certain as a positive reality can one live in the present. Thus we can say: Christianity was not only 'good news' – a message of content previously unknown. Using our language, it must be said that the Christian message not only 'informs' but also 'creates'. This means: the Gospel is not only a message of content that can be known, but it is a message that creates facts and changes life." Of course, for a believer, the most important hope is based on trust and faith in God: For us, the hope that arises from the Gospel, from meeting God, comes almost "automatically", of which we are not always aware. It happens beyond our consciousness. However, thanks to hope, we are certainly different people, we look at the world quite differently; thanks to it we see further, we act better, we function, we walk more cheerfully on the path of life.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church brings a more precise definition of hope: "It is a theological virtue by which we desire as our happiness the Kingdom of heaven and eternal life, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit." I wrote above that hope is the virtue of the road because being on the road every traveler expects that with God's grace he will somehow reach the goal whole and healthy. This virtue directs our existence towards the future: both in this world and on the other shore of life; "protects us from despair, sustains us in every abandonment, enlarges the heart in the expectation of eternal happiness." It is especially helpful and needed when a person experiences evil, pain, suffering, illness, lack, breakdown, loss of strength and vitality; when longing for a better world, love, truth, etc.
Reading the Pope's words from the aforementioned encyclical, which is a short treatise on hope, we learn that "we need small and greater hopes that sustain us on the road day by day. However, without the great hope, which must surpass the others, they are insufficient. This great hope can only be God, who encompasses the universe, and who can offer and give us what we cannot achieve ourselves." In the last part of the encyclical, Benedict XVI, answering the question of where one can practically learn the virtue of hope and practice it, lists three places: prayer, action and suffering, and the Last Judgment.
The need for hope is mentioned many times in the Holy Scriptures, but it also warns against false hope. Here are three quotes: Do not put your trust in princes or in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation (Ps 148:3). And a beautiful text of St. John brings hope and places it next to love: "See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure" (1 Jn 3:1-3). Meanwhile, St. Peter mentions the resurrection of Christ as the "guarantee" of a living hope: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy, he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials (1 P 1:3-6).
If ecclesiology today speaks of the Church in three manifestations: as a community, mission, and mystery, then hope certainly directs our gaze to the Church through the "telescope" of mystery. Fr. Andrzej Napiórkowski, a professor at the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow, rightly notes: "Mysterium Ecclesiae is not so much explored by theoretical arguments about it, but by co-creating its earthly and heavenly reality in prayer and witness of life. The Church is better understood by the one who loves it, than by the one who creates ever new definitions of love. The Church must be seen above all as a mystery of the self-giving of the Triune God to sinful man, who in his freedom opens to God's proposal of divine life."
Regarding consecrated life in the aspect of mystery, John Paul II teaches: "Consecrated life is a proclamation of what the Father accomplishes through the Son in the Holy Spirit with His love, His goodness, His beauty... It also shows all people the immense greatness of the power of Christ reigning and the unlimited power of the Holy Spirit working wonderfully in the Church. The first task of consecrated life is to show the great works that God accomplishes in the frail human nature of those called... Thus consecrated life becomes one of the visible traces that the Holy Trinity leaves in history to arouse in people admiration for the beauty of God and longing for Him."
6. Path of hope, meaning a safe route
As already mentioned above, we have various paths, with different degrees of difficulty and safety, especially those located in high mountain regions. Indeed, there are roads in the world that make travel blood-chilling (Bolivia, China, Russia, Norway, India); some of them even have the word "death" in their name. Fortunately, Poland does not have such roads, but it ranks among the last places in the European Union in terms of road safety. Speaking of road safety, codes emphasize that three cardinal principles must be kept in mind: safe speed, (special) caution, and limited trust.
I think that the same principles apply to spiritual paths: 1) everything has its time and certain stages cannot be skipped or accelerated; 2) the spiritual sphere is a delicate "matter", where a lot of empathy, prudence, and discretion are needed, so as not to enter it with "muddy boots"; 3) of course, on the one hand, one must have strong trust in the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and the guidance of spiritual guides, on the other hand, fellow travelers on the path may sometimes miss the truth. Therefore, St. Paul gives simple advice on this subject: Do not quench the Spirit, do not despise prophecies. Test everything; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil (1 Thess 5:19-22).
Our path is not just any path; it has a name and a certificate that gives it the right to carry and multiply hope. Hence the path of hope is a safe spiritual route that leads the believer to holiness. It is a path that leads to the fullness of being, to life in its fullness, to communion with God, so that God's holiness becomes man's holiness. Progress on this path is inherently complex and shrouded in mystery. Therefore, spiritual masters, writing about it, use images. Teresa of Avila speaks of dwelling in seven mansions of the spiritual fortress, John of the Cross of walking amidst the night, Teresa of Lisieux of an elevator lifting man to God. And Piotr Semenenko CR, a great mystic, wrote: "Ah! I fear nothing, I am not afraid, I do not care, so safe and calm in Your [Jesus and Mary's] most holy heart! Do with my soul, with our soul, what pleases You; Your mysteries, Your pleasure, all Your delight."
The Holy Scriptures in the Book of Genesis present a classic/exemplary path of hope, which the patriarch Abraham chose and followed, because against hope he believed in hope (Rom 4:18) and in this hope he persevered to the end, for hope is an anchor of the soul, sure and steadfast (Heb 6:19), because it is a creative force, not a hurrah-optimism. On the path of hope, we meet other people who are traveling in the same direction. How not to engage in dialogue with them! How not to support each other and undertake actions that will be a sign of hope! After all, walking the path of hope, we are de facto following Christ, who is gentle and humble of heart, who walks with the disciples to Emmaus. For hope for a Christian exists only with Christ, through Him, and in Him. True hope can only be tasted by those who have known the one true God, who have met Christ.
Walking the path of hope, we carry in our hearts a great expectation: We proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, we confess your resurrection, and we await your coming in glory – we respond in the acclamation in the Holy Mass immediately after the Consecration. In the Eucharist, we experience a real encounter with God. He comes to us, enters our lives, transforms hearts. In the first Advent preface, thanking God for His plan of salvation, we profess: He will come again in the splendor of His glory, to grant us the promised gifts, which we, watching, confidently await. We thank, therefore, for this plan of God, which also contains the certainty that Jesus will come again, not in human guise, but already enveloped in divine glory.
7. Together walking the path of hope, meaning a signpost for CR for the coming years
Already the word order in the discussed motto indicates that the most important word here is the verb "to go"; it is the axis around which the carousel of the remaining words revolves; it is the main structure to which three appendages/adverbs are attached, answering the questions: how (together – i.e., adverb of manner) and where (path of hope – i.e., adverb of place). These three adverbs somehow complement the message that the motto-signpost carries. And the task of a signpost is to indicate the direction in which to go to reach the goal.
Let's take a closer look at this signpost! As already noted, the most important call is the urging to move, to the proverbial "getting off the couch" and going out into the world. The Congregation strengthens when it rediscovers that it is sent to go out of its limitations and, crossing borders, go further together to the ends of the world, bringing people hope that opens to the eternal perspective of God's life. In this life, we ourselves participate, and therefore we can be true, transparent, and credible.
This dynamism of "going out", to which God constantly encourages believers, is clearly felt in these first words of the motto. For how can one go without first getting up from the chair/throne, without leaving the house, one's own yard, and fences? How can one get anywhere without reading signposts or having an up-to-date GPS? In the Message for the 52nd World Day of Prayer for Vocations, Pope Francis wrote: "The experience of going out is the paradigm of Christian life, especially for those who accept the call to special dedication to the service of the Gospel. It consists of an attitude of constant conversion and transformation, remaining in a constant pilgrimage, in passing from death to life... A vocation is always an action of God, who leads us out of our starting situation, frees us from all forms of slavery, pulls us out of habit and indifference, pushing us towards the joy of communion with God and brothers. Responding to God's call, therefore, means allowing Him to lead us out of our false stability, to guide us on the path to Jesus Christ, the most important and ultimate goal of our life and our happiness."
Together – meaning who else is walking with us? Of course, bishops, superiors, who can walk – like shepherds – "sometimes at the front, sometimes in the middle, sometimes at the back". At the front, to show the way; in the middle, to hear what the brothers feel, and at the back, to help those who, for various reasons, found themselves at the end of the road. In this "together" are also included all those we serve in parishes and schools, especially those we consider part of the so-called "Resurrectionist laity", which are "communities, associations, and groups that, through formation in the spirit of the Congregation, identify with our charism and mission". We all go together because in "a group" it is safer, there is strength in numbers, because the community inspires, secures, strengthens, helps, and supports.
Walking together means betting on the community and excluding going alone, self-sufficiency, separation, isolation, distance, separation, separation, separation. According to Fr. Mirosław Cholewa, there are seven sins against the community. These are: converting – not oneself, but others; competition – that is, fighting for influence and power; lack of sincerity – that is, a flood of cowardice, omissions, deceit, and appearances; sins of the tongue most often manifesting in murmuring behind the back, judging, flattery, verbosity, and gossip; unclear relationships and rules – in other words: murky water, and in murky water, the devils bathe; lack of forgiveness – that is, building walls of distrust, sulking, and hostility; closing oneself in one's circle – i.e., transforming the community into a mutual admiration society.
The Second Vatican Council reminds that "all people are called to union with Christ, who is the light of the world and from whom we come, through whom we live, to whom we go." Jesus walking the paschal path invites everyone, respecting human free will: If anyone would come after me (Mt 16:24). So entering this path is possible only through a free decision to adhere to Jesus, who further speaks about the conditions of this following, and they are: denying oneself and carrying one's cross. The paschal path is not a lonely path of some invented self-torment, where we gradually annihilate ourselves (denial of oneself) and impose burdens on ourselves that are too heavy to bear (carrying one's cross). It is a path "after" and "with" Jesus. It is a path in self-denial through death to life. To save oneself forever, we are to "lose" life like the Savior. If we say we are going together, it means we are also going with Jesus and His path is also in some way our path, on which we discover that we are loved by God. Only in the context of love can the meaning of the paschal path of man be read. The resurrection is a guarantee that all our "personal histories" will not perish with our death, but in due time will rise to a better existence.
In the capitular decree (from October 4, 2022) Fr. General Paul Voisin CR aptly touched on the disciples on the road to Emmaus, emphasizing that "we walk with the Lord Jesus, and He continues to bless us and grant us grace, which allows us to open our eyes and makes our hearts burn anew. In this way, we will be able to see the Risen Lord as He really is and become more faithful witnesses of His resurrection... Just as in the midst of confusion, fear, and doubt experienced by the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, so also on our capitular path, God will act so that we recognize Him and share our charism and mission in the Church and for the Church."
Why is this pericope so important for the Resurrectionists? Why should it be obligatory for us to study, reflect, and contemplate? Yes, all the paths of the Risen One – from leaving the tomb to the ascension – are paved with hope, but the one to Emmaus (and back) contains incredible deposits for pastoral-theological exploitation. One can talk about Emmaus endlessly. The limited framework and concept of this presentation do not allow for a broader development of the topic, so at least in a nutshell, I would like to draw attention to three issues: 1) a triple look at the Church; 2) a model of pastoral ministry; 3) a paradigm of God's intervention.
This Emmaus pericope, which is a clear triptych (on the way to Emmaus, in the inn in Emmaus, and on the way from Emmaus to Jerusalem) ideally suggests and facilitates (thanks to the artistic means used by the creators of the altar in the CR seminary church in Krakow) a view of the Church/Congregation in three scenes: 1) The left wing of the triptych presents the Risen One, still Unknown, who with an open book joined these frustrated two disciples. You can still hear them: And we had hoped, and He "glued" to them began to explain to them what was about Him in all the Scriptures. These two travelers stopped, with curiosity only listening. This installation reminds us that the Church is a mystery that must not only be worshiped but also explained, studied. 2) In the center, at the stone table, in which the tabernacle is embedded, all three sit, with Jesus in the middle. The table is essentially empty, only in the powerful hands of the Lord is a loaf of bread half-broken. The breaking of bread is a Eucharistic sign, a gesture of giving and signals the community of the table. This representation illustrates that the Church is a communion of faith, hope, and love, a community united by the Eucharist. 3) These two (for the Unknown recognized as His, disappeared) left not only the inn but also the altar setting, went outside, returning to where they had resignedly left. They return to the city, to Jerusalem, return to their own, to convey to them what happened on the road and how they recognized Him in the breaking of bread. They carry a book, they walk briskly, though their feet are muddied, immersed ankle-deep in the earth, driven by some inner haste. How not to see in this arrangement the Church as a mission rooted in mystery and communion?
From the gospel of Emmaus, one can extract and formulate four steps of pastoral ministry. The first step is to meet a person where they found themselves in their breakdown and sadness, in depression and fear, in disappointment and hopelessness. Meet and accompany them on the road, even if we do not fully know where it leads. The second step is to empathize with their situation and through conversation try to "throw" a few explanations of the mystery and guide them to God's paths. The third step is to lead them to the community of the table, to the sacraments (reconciliation, Eucharist). Finally, the fourth step is to send them to the community, show them what their mission and place in the community is. Such ministry is so-called ordinary pastoral care, which is always realized in the parish, because here there is neither Greek nor Jew, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all (Col 3:11).
Our pericope also reveals how God intervenes in human affairs and destinies. Dogmatics teaches that when one person of the Holy Trinity acts, the other persons also cooperate, that is, God's intervention is always a joint action of the entire Holy Trinity. However, in this communal intervention, one of the persons comes to the fore and somehow "endorses" this divine intervention. The example of events in Emmaus shows that when Christ (the second person of the Holy Trinity) fulfilled His task (explained the Scriptures and broke the bread), after self-revelation He disappeared from them; that is, He made room for the Holy Spirit, who turned these two back on the road to Jerusalem, sent them to the brothers, to the community, to tell about what happened on the road and how they recognized Him in the breaking of bread.
Let's return, however, to the signpost for the coming years, which directs us to the path of hope, that is, to the path of the Risen One. This is not the first time that general chapters write the word "hope" on their banners. Five previous Chapters were also devoted to hope. This is a sign that although our Congregation is a small flock, it wants to be a witness of this virtue in this world, where hope is a "scarce commodity". Being a witness of hope means: being able and willing to read the signs of its hidden presence in the daily events of people and societies.
In this context, it should also be noted that our capitular signpost is of a different nature than those vertical roadside signposts. From our signpost, we will not learn where it leads, how far to the goal, how much time is needed to cover the road. We will not learn, but we have it written in our mind and heart, that the goal of our life and work in the Congregation is to give glory to God, because He is infinite goodness and love... And we give glory to God by showing the presence of the risen Christ in the world. To achieve this, we will strive for our personal sanctification, taking Christ as our model and living in ever greater unity with Him.
It's time to end this lengthy reflection on the four words of the motto/theme of the XXIV General Chapter CR. It only remains to wish the members of the Chapter openness to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit; as capitulars, I wish you courage not to capitulate before any challenge that you manage to discern communally; as brothers, I simply wish you good thoughts and communicative transmission.
Kazimierz Wójtowicz CR
Kraków-Centrum Resurrectionis
PS 1. This above presentation wants to be a response to the request of the Father General that "all members of the Congregation engage in the preparation of the General Chapter".
PS 2. Feci, quod potui, faciant meliora potentes. Let us know, That In Christ
1. What is exactly written: TOGETHER GOING THE WAY OF HOPE.
2. See Towards a Synodal Church, Krakow 2021, Alleluja Publishing, where the five most important perisynodal documents.
3. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2022-10/pope-to-oblate-missionaries-of-evangelical-service-of-hope.html
4. See https://synod.org.pl ' Synodal materials.
5. Of course, papal lectionaries were followed by perisynodal documents; see Toward a Synodal Church
Synodal Church, e.g., p. 28, 68, 77, 80, 90, 93. 97, 102, 118 etc.
6. Towards a Synodal Church, p. 93.
7. https://pope.wiara.pl/doc/3332986. Couch happiness is a silent paralysis
8. https://congresskk.pl/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Speech-of-Francis-18-September-2021-pl.pdf
9. cf. Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 23.
10. CR Constitutions, 86.
11. As the Gospels describe, Jesus led a wandering lifestyle; being constantly on the road, He did not find a permanent home on this earth.
12. Evangelii Gaudium, 20.
13. An example could be Homer's Odyssey, or Don Quixote of La Mancha by Cervantes, Jacques the Fatalist and his Master by Diderot, or The Witcher by A. Sapkowski.
14. They include The Pilgrim by C.K. Norwid, Life is a Journey of Man by E. Stachura, or The Prayer of Mr. Cogito - Traveler by Z. Herbert.
15. https://polska-poezja.pl/lista-wierszy/437-cyprian-kamil-norwid-pielgrzym.
16. https://adonai.pl/poezja/?id=9&action=2
17. Zbigniew Herbert, Selected Poems, new and corrected edition,
selection and editing by R. Krynicki, Krakow 2017, pp. 201-203.
18. CR Constitutions, 11.
19. Vita Consecrata, 41.
20. Missio (mission) is also a vision of the Church seen through the prism of its tasks in the context of going and wandering to the ends of the earth.
21. Towards a Synodal Church, p. 152.
22. https://jesuits.pl/2020/01/general-jezuitow-o-przywodztwie-i-rozeznawaniu/
23. CR Constitutions, 135, 136.
24. The denser the network of roads, the more developed and wealthy the country.
25. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK7lwOkNoKs&ab_channel=Gabriel 26. Toward a Synodal Church, 49-50.
27. cf. Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 39.
28. Acts 9:2; 18:25; 24:22.
29. Evangelii gaudium, 20; 23.
30. Vita consecrata, 72.
31. e.g., discretion, expectation, encouragement, chance, prediction, perspectives, assumption.
32. The classic text comes from Heb 11:1: Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
33. Spe salvi, 2.
34. CCC, 1817.
35. CCC, 1818.
36.. Spe salvi, 31.
37 Jw. 32-48.
38. A. A. Napiórkowski TSOPE, Reinterpretation of Integral Growth and Development of the Church, [in.] "Theological Annals" 9/2020, p.24.
39. Vita consecrata, 20.
40. Diary, July 2, 1853.
41.. Which will be discussed more broadly in the last/next point.
42. And everyone who waits for something, hopes it will come true.43 That's why the above general chapter was called "heart pacemaker".
44 From Abraham to Moses, through the prophets to the path of Jesus.
45. Such a GPS on the spiritual path is the Gospel with its indications.
46. https://pope.wiara.pl/doc/2434110.Going-out-fundamental-experience-of-vocation/2
47. Provincial Statutes (Polish), 1998, 105.
48. https://zawierzenie.pl/konferencje/konferencja-grzechach-przeciwko-jednosci/
49. Pope Francis called gossip "deadly poison", "a plague worse than coronaviruses".
