Justice

Community of Nagoda

Our life hidden with Christ in God at the heart of the Cosmos JUSTICE, PEACE AND INTEGRITY OF CREATION We situate our reflection in the perspective of the new cosmological vision presented at the last General Chapter. 1.1 By justice we mean right relationships at all levels; living rightly related with everything and everyone and with our God. This brings with it peace as its fruit. Justice demands that we respect the integrity of creation, recognize and live the truth about creation – its wholeness, its interconnectedness. Relationship is what characterizes the entire cosmos, and communion, one-ness is its destiny. It must indeed be so if we acknowledge that the source and the heart of all creation is God-Trinity-RelationshipCommunion. 1.2 As human persons in relationship with God and with other humans and with the cosmos, the desire for justice, peace and integrity of creation is ingrained in our very nature. 1.3 Faith leads us to look at Jesus as our Teacher and Model in living these relationships imbued with love and tenderness, gentleness and compassion, in a totally self-giving manner even to the point of sacrificing one’s life in order that there be more life, life in abundance. We now see how we live these relationships with the new focus in our ordinary everyday life. 2.1 We learn to look at creation with new eyes of faith, seeing everything that exists as mirroring God’s beauty, goodness and love. God’s presence is brought very close to us in the creation, giving us a new impetus for our life of continual prayer, forming us to be an adoring, praising, thanking presence before the PRESENCE. 2.2 Our daily Eucharistic adoration takes on a new depth of meaning in this context. From one form of Presence we are led to yet another form of the same presence, to continue the same adoration. Our community prayer which rhythms our daily life, renews our awareness of being before God for and with our sisters/brothers and with the creation. We feel a greater need to live silence and solitude in depth in order to live closely connected with the Trinitarian Source of life at the heart of the cosmos. 2.3 As never before, we realise our dependence on the things of creation for our life and sustenance. We in turn, try to care for it, for example, by tending the plants in our garden, by using only the type of fertilizers that help their growth without causing any harm to human health. We keep our garden clean and beautify it, enhancing a climate of serenity. We try to cultivate ‘environment-friendly’ attitudes. 3.1 Justice/right relationship among human beings is essentially based on the recognition of and the respect for one another as persons bearing the image of God. In God’s likeness, we try to see goodness in everyone, promote and empower what is positive. 3.2 To live and grow in relationships of evangelical quality in our everyday life is a primary concern of all of us. The situation of war and violence in our country today brings us an even more lively consciousness and more serious commitment in this domain. Our very failures make us more sensitive and urge us to live forgiveness and reconciliation as a daily need. 3.3 We recognize equality of dignity in all persons and try to rid ourselves of tendencies to control and dominate. The presence of sisters of three different cultures in our community is a gift and a call. We try

to integrate our differences peacefully. We are also awakened to the necessity of being more open to the different races, cultures, customs and religions of the people of our country, and to appreciate their values and recognize their rights. 3.4 We live interdependence and interconnectedness among us through active collaboration and participation in the responsibilities in community – liturgy, work, services, etc. 4.1 Another important area that goes with justice is our relationship with the poor among whom we live. By living the ‘ethic of just enough’ we are able to share something materially with the poor who come to us. We treat them with respect, compassion, and gentleness. Convinced that the goods of creation are meant for all, we use what we need with care and gratitude, avoiding waste. 4.2 Concern for our brothers and sisters in need consists not only in the sharing of material things. Our prayer is an important place of living solidarity with all. In the psalms, in our nocturnal prayer, we experience our solidarity with our sisters and brothers in their physical and moral suffering, in their pain of exclusion, and in our common sinfulness. With them we wait in supplication for the coming of God’s reign of justice and peace, placing our hope in God’s own word. 5.1 Peace is a gift of God and therefore we beg for it continually. This is the greatest concern of the moment that we carry both in our prayer of intercession and in living out that prayer in our relationships. We try to foster a climate of peace within us and send out peace vibrations believing that because of our interconnectedness, they will have a beneficial effect on our people and for our world. 5.2 What is happening in our country calls us to examine our attitudes, especially those of violence within our own selves and to conversion of heart. Compassion and gentleness are key evangelical and feminine attitudes that we try to cultivate in our personal and community life. The Word of God in the Eucharist, in the liturgy of the Hours, in daily personal and weekly community lectio is a path to continual conversion of heart, forming us in Christ-like relationships. 5.3 Participation in the Eucharist each day energizes us to offer our daily sacrifice of life contributing our share to the ongoing liberation and fulfilment of the cosmic family according to God’s desire.. 6.1 By trying to integrate justice, peace and integrity of creation into our life, we say that - Right relationship imbued with love and compassion is the key to a fulfilled life. All forms of life on earth exist in a relationship of interdependence, and interconnected, and are destined for communion. - Accepting and respecting the equality of dignity of all human beings, respecting the rights of the different races and cultures is absolutely necessary for peaceful living. Differences are not a barrier for unity and communion. - God’s creation provides in abundance for all human beings to live a dignified life. The condition of our brothers and sisters who suffer because of poverty cannot leave us indifferent. By adopting a simple life style, by being able to say ‘enough is enough’, we have enough to share with them. - Caring for the planet earth today is a grave responsibility of all of us. 6.2 By living and promoting justice, peace and respect for creation, we contribute to the coming of God’s Kingdom on earth; we collaborate in the birthing forth of ‘the new heaven and the new earth’. In all of life, God is the primary source and ultimate end. All is destined to be gathered into ONE in Christ Jesus.