AR RENEWAL COURSE 2008

April 20 to May 6, 2008

WELCOME MESSAGE

By Mo. Maxima Pelaez, AR.

Superior General

Theme: “Celebrating Life’s Physical and Psycho-Spiritual Wellness”

The melody of our song or the theme of our renewal 2008 is celebrating life’s physical and spiritual wellness. So our dear young but old, blooming yet bit-broken Sisters, you shall have 11 + 5 days. Most likely, the dates may be effaced in your memory as time goes on but not the occurrences or happenings within the days, as these events signify your advancing in years in the religious life which have to be on quality advancement in years, that is growing old graciously or amiably instead of growing old crankily or irritably.

When I arrived in Makati last 2003, there were big potted young pines placed at the four corners of the stage used for flag raising ceremony. Its leaves have grown stretching sideward that they disturbed or covered the students on the stage. So one day I called for the janitor to trim those potted pine plants. An old Sister called my attention that those potted plants did not belong to us but were being marketed just in case there would be interested buyers. I reasoned out gently that they were covering and disturbing the student’s performers. We ended up there. In less than a week time, I could hardly believe what I saw. On the parts of the plant where the janitor cut the branches and leaves, came out bright light green leaves, so beautiful that the plants simply looked healthier and happier.

Our dear Renewalists, I pray that this renewal will rejuvenate you spiritually, physically, psychologically as go through the process. Just like the potted pines that became a bright beauty to behold after undergoing “surgery”, we earnestly pray that your being AR would be reshaped up more beautifully in accordance to the will of our Lord and Spouse, Jesus, of course, if we truly and faithfully cooperate with His grace.

When we were informed that you should be in the Tagaste Retreat House on April 20 for some preliminaries, I knew for sure that God had a very special reason for it, that is, to make the renewal event more significant. And, indeed, April 20 falls on a special day, Sunday. Turning to this Sunday’s scriptural readings, as the holy Words give us light, strength and guidance, I smiled to the Lord for His striking message to this chosen group. St. Peter (first reading) reminds us that only Jesus is the foundation stone of our lives; AR religious as we are, we simply cannot allow anything to take His place, “Come to Him, a living stone rejected by human beings but chosen and precious in the eyes of God” (1 Pet. 2:4). And only our deep faith and humility can make us turn to Him constantly, naturally so as not to be beclouded by the limelight of our seeming bright accomplishments in our apostolate.

The Sunday’s good news, reinforces our faith and humbleness in coming to the living stone, “In my Father’s house, there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2). Our Lord Jesus Christ has prepared a place in His Father’s house for his chosen ones and, I am sure, singling out the renewalists 2008 of the Augustinian Recollect Sisters. Mark the humility of Our Lord shown in word and deed. All marvels that He did were never alluded to Himself, never, but always to the Father. I repeat, to the Father. So Philip who must have been struck by the repeated reference to the Father exclaimed to Him: “Master, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” And Jesus chided him, “Have I been with you so long a time, Philip and still you do not know me?.. Whoever has seen me has seen the Father..The words I speak to you, I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works.” (John 14:8-10).

As we welcome you, dear renewalists to this event-full activity, let our humble Master reign in us, inspiring us, inviting us to be truly humble as He exemplified this greatest and noblest virtue. His works and words were never referred to Himself but always to the Father. So he is teaching us constantly, all the time the virtue of humility, that whatever we do, whoever we are should be pointed to God as His gifts entrusted to us but never claim them as our own.

In behalf of the General Council and the entire Congregation, welcome to the long but short celebration of our life’s physical and spiritual wellness. Let the Risen Lord be truly risen and alive in you all as you go on with the varied activities in these days.