PRAYING "LA PAROLA DEL PADRE"
Listening to the Word
Scripture reading (Jn 6:60–69)
Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you that do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that should betray him. And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. Jesus said to the twelve, “Will you also go away?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
Confortian response
Parola del Padre 21, September 1919
“The just man must live by faith and this must animate and sanctify all his actions. Do we truly live by this supernatural life? Do we possess, not only a speculative faith, but also a practical faith without which it is impossible to be pleasing to God? We only have to compare our life with the teachings of the faith we profess to see if we are on the right path that leads to heaven. Anything that is not in harmony with faith is sin; anything that is not animated by faith cannot have any value in our striving for eternal happiness […].
For this reason, in all the circumstances of our life we must turn to our faith, and it will always provide us with a sure, precise and authoritative word; if we follow this we will be sure of living the truth, practicing justice and making progress in Christian perfection”.
Personal reflection
The Founder exhorts us to turn to our faith in all circumstances of life, in order to have a “sure, reliable and authoritative” direction for our life. Only faith gives us the absolute guarantee of “living the truth and practicing justice” (Fr. Amato Dagnino).
This passage is fundamentally important for three reasons.
a) It bases Christian formation on faith-hope-charity. This is an exquisite biblical theology. A good catechesis must teach that the Christian life revolves around the commitment of faith, industrious charity and steadfast hope (Cf. 1Ts 1:3).
b) While it recommends fidelity to the traditional devotional practices, it indicates the spirit of prayer as the goal we must strive for, and upon which we must insist above all else, in order to receive the strength we need to defend our vocation (Cf. OT 8b).
c) We Xaverians refer to the precious words of our Founder: “We will live in this way if in all circumstances we keep Christ in mind; he will always be with us, when we pray, at the altar, when we study, in the many activities of our ministry, in our dealings with others, in times of distress, sorrow and temptation […] This intimate life of faith will protect us from the dangers of the ministry… (TL 7)” (Fr. Amato Dagnino).
