The gifts of each one for the good of all
“Communion of life” is to make space for the gifts of everyone for the good of all. One does not enter a religious community to pursue a career. The Order ought not to be used as a springboard for the fulfillment of my personal ambitions, I can and should promote the Order because its charism is a gift to the Church and to the world: I am called, together with my sisters, to make it live and to spread its joy. And if the community values the gifts of each one, this strengthens unity and communion as well as multiplying happiness.
In community, we have a thousand reasons to rejoice. There are those who cook in a wonderful way; those who, with their studies, help us to deepen our understanding of the Word; there are also those who paint and who sing, who play and who do embroidery; some sisters have a special gift with the spoken word, others with the written word, yet others again have the gift of listening ear. How much the world needs this gift today!
At the heart of our daily life is liturgical prayer through which Christ continually intercedes for the needs of the
world through our words and lives. The word listened to in choir and lovingly kept in the heart, enters in our lives and accompanies us also during work, recreation, meals, community meetings. Having a passion for Him Who is the Word of Life, we experience a joy that has been given to us and fills our lives. Blessed Reginald says: “I believe I have not done any merit in this Order because I have always found too much joy in it.” And of st Dominic is being said that he was always joyful, except when he shared the pain or wounds of the people. The happiness is born of intimacy with the Word and is the source and fertility of our preaching. It is, in fact, a gift of the Spirit of the Risen Lord. Dominican life is to sparkle with joy for God. It is to shine in His light, reflected on the face of those who seek it: “I am the light of the world; He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life “(Jn 8:12).