Missionaries of the Sacred

February this year takes us into Lent. I never liked Lent, all that giving up stuff and waiting for Easter when I can have it all back again without a guilt trip. I just never did like it. Without a doubt that shows how much I need Lent in order to grow up.

When I was a little kid I gave up candy for Lent. Back in those days Lent ended at noon on Holy Saturday. I recall that I had bought a Rocket for the occasion.  The Rocket was made of sugar. It was red white and blue and was shaped like a rocket. There I was, my Rocket in my hot little fist, waiting for the noon whistle to blow so that I could indulge in my Rocket.

Now I am an old man, dispensed from most of the Lenten rules, involved in letting go and giving up of much that was important to me and for my functioning as a Missionary of the Sacred Heart. My hearing is impaired. My eyes play tricks on me. I can no longer cross-country ski. I forget very often. I have to let go and/or give up of these things if I am to be at peace and able to serve where I can. The letting go that I practice for Lent trains me for the letting go of aging and service.

No matter what vocation we follow there are plenty of things we must give up, let go of, in order to live and love as our vocation requires.  “Give up” means “may not have”. As a religious brother I am not my own boss (obedience), I may not own the things in my life (poverty) and may not have a spouse and children (celibacy).  As a human being I may not have sex outside of marriage (chastity). These things I must give up to follow my call and live up to my vows.

“Letting go” means “allowing to go” and deals with how I hold on to my way, my things and my people.  If, inside myself, I hold onto them very tightly, I do not allow them or myself the freedom needed to truly live and love. Then there is no room in my grasp for gratefully accepting who and what God has put into my life.  And I am not able to let go, to allow God to take them from me. The result is very likely to be that the people in my life will struggle to go, to be free to love and live where love and life are more possible. The freedom to go is implied in the freedom to stay, to live and love. Vows “forever” and “until death do us part” must be freely made and frequently repeated. We make and reinforce the obligation for ourselves. We are not really able to enforce the obligation upon another.

When I first thought about becoming a priest I thought I would have to give up swimming. I loved swimming. I was not very good at most athletic endeavors, but I was a good swimmer. I thought I would have to give it up, let it go. Much to my delight I found there was a swimming pool on the seminary grounds. I did not have to give swimming up, but I did in fact let it go in order to follow my call. Letting go meant inside myself I was free to follow my call, swimming or no swimming.

Every vocation, every lifestyle, calls for holding gently your way, your things, your people. Are you at peace with the prospect of holding your ways, your people, your things gently enough that you can let them go for the sake of serving God and others as a Missionary of the Sacred Heart?

If so you can contact:

Peace,

Brother Joe Tesar, MSC