The WORD in Other Words by Fr Dindo Santiago SVD (Japan) Saturday Week 26 Ordinary Time, Bar 4:5-12, 27-29, Lk 10:17-24
We, the Divine Word Missionaries here in the Japan Province gather every summer for the annual retreat in our monastery in Karuizawa— cool and green, peaceful and contemplative. As in most retreats, we spend some time also for group sharing on the Word, on our vocation, on our ministry. Since we are serving in different prefectures in Japan (Akita, Niugata, Iwate, Miyagi, Yamagata, Tokyo, Gifu, Aichi, Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasala), hearing the different stories of fellow missionaries from different nationalities, serving in different parts of the country, is always something to look forward to.
Much like the disciples in our Gospel today, we come together rejoicing, realizing that in community prayers and in our sharing, we further deepen our experience as to see more clearly the face of the Lord and to hear more loudly the voice of God. As a religious missionary in the SVD, we reflect regularly on our experience of being called by the Father, of being sent by the Lord, and empowered by His Spirit that even in the most difficult times of temptations, trials and burdens we are able to overcome and continue on. In all humility as a child, we are then able to praise the Holy Triune God for we realize and rejoice that all come from God.
Karuizawa is an oasis for us, a place where we gather to see God and hear him more clearly, rejoicing in the Holy Triune God, Spend time reflecting on and sharing your life and faith experiences, and in the process find your oasis too.
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