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01.13.2020

INCARNATING LOVE WITH JOY 01/12

The 2020 Extended Council opened on Sunday afternoon, January 12, with a ritual and opening address by Sister Sally, both of which developed the theme “Incarnating Love with Joy.”

The ritual was a marvelous blend of joyous celebration and contemplative prayer. It began with the song “All are welcome” with each country group invited to come to the center of the room and place around the center focal point the musical instrument which they brought from home. After a simple dance of joy accompanied by the many instruments we went to the chapel.

There we used our imagination in a guided “contemplation to attain love.” It spoke to us of how we are loved by persons we do not see or know, the importance of knowing we are loved by loving nature and other ways in which we experience God’s love for us. Two sisters, on from Brazil, the other from India, portrayed the Visitation, showing how Mary incarnated love, as we are called to do.

Sister Sally’s opening remarks elaborated on this theme and challenged our congregational leaders to be love incarnate and to communicate this with joy. In her words, “Incarnating the love that is Jesus can only be experienced by others in how we lead and how we accompany our sisters.” She held up the magi as one model of loving leadership, seen in their willingness to expand their vision and change their direction and find new paths. This is what we as a congregation will need to do if we are to respond to the needs of the 21^st century, one of which is to build communion and thus incarnate love with joy.