Celebrating the day with multitudes of sisters and some male consecrated persons, Bishop Rudolf Nyandoro delivered a spirited homily urging the clergy and religious that a self-less life does not mean neglecting self-care, but also warned them against the enemies of religious life.
The bishop’s homily at the Day of Consecrated Persons highlighted the need for the religious and priests ‘to educate their emotions’, avert anger and materialism in order to preserve the light of Christ which can be dimmed by the ‘stresses’ of religious life.
More than a hundred sisters, priests and brothers gathered at St Theresa Cathedral Gweru, to celebrate the World Day of Consecrated Persons organised by the Conference of Major Religious Superiors Zimbabwe.
Instituted by Pope John Paul II in 1997, World Day for Consecrated Life is a day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life. The celebration is attached to the feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2.
In his address, Bishop Nyandoro acknowledged that the stresses and challenges associated with religious life, may lead to a ‘dry vocation’ that needs self-care and a ‘loving community’ to survive.
“Our work sometimes stresses us and I think you bear with me, sometimes you have that burn out and you need rest,” he urged the religious.
“Sometimes you can get dry in your vocation but you have to keep going. Christ is the light of the world and he is shining upon you but remember you are the bearers Christ, the bearers of that light,” he said.
“You are not living for yourselves but for others, as you live for others you need the light of Christ to continue shining in and around you and even in your communities.”
Drawing from various theological and philosophical sources, Bishop Nyandoro said some of the enemies that surround the religious and priests are pride, anger, the ‘craving for material things,’ vein glory, gluttony and hate.
“Be humble, so that the light in you can continue to shine and others will appreciate the Christ in you. Be careful of the pride as the enemy within you and also outside you, so you need humility as a virtue.”
On the need for self-care, he said that sometimes “we may work with all our strength and not give ourselves rest, but we also need self-care, we need to rest so that we continue with strengths to bear the light of Christ.”
The bishop mentioned that ‘the desire for positions in the congregations and in the church’ is a hidden enemy and it can dim the light of Christ.
“You know we are not islands, we are living with other people, we live in cities, we mingle with the rich and the poor, and the craving to materials things come our way and we are not careful we may drop the light of Christ and pick up the material things.”
He described anger as the capital of vices and a psychological slavery and urged consecrated persons to be at ease with themselves and educate their emotions.
“You need to educate your emotions…have you realised that sometimes we boil with emotions, with anger and if you ill-treat one of your member in the community, you risk losing all your community, the trust of the whole family” so it is very important to educate your emotions so that you maintain the spirit of family.”
“Sometimes you may stay in as a religious but you have already said goodbye so be careful how you relate with members in your community.”
By Kudakwashe Matambo
English