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Spain: Where does the unity of the entire Province lies?

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For Saturday, the sixth day of the provincial chapter, the morning liturgical celebration was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Eucharist was presided over by Brother Kleyver José García Botero, Vicar Provincial of Venezuela, accompanied by two brothers from this vicariate, Brother Julián García López and Brother Gustavo Adolfo Gallardo Oliveros, together with the deacon Brother Bosco Xiong.

The accent of this day's reflection was on God, the center of everything in our lives as consecrated persons with attentive listening to the command of love. Brother Kleyver said: “Shema Israel Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad, Hear Israel! Only God, one God, only God. This is the heart of faith, it is the heart of the way to live as Christians, and it could be considered an old confession of faith that is already outdated, but we should remember that question asked to Jesus in another passage of the Gospel: What is the central commandment, What is the most important thing in the law? he referred precisely to this part of the text in the scriptures that insists on Israel for listening, you will love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being ”.

Jesus wishes to show the validity and permanence of this commandment according to the reflection of Brother Kleyver, since it is a command offered by God the Father himself in which he wants human beings to have and enjoy good physical, emotional and spiritual health: for the whole town, for his town. The health of the people, for everyone, for you, for me, for the community; reason for which we would have to be attentive to remember that attitude, that lifestyle, that state of life of hearing, of listening because finally, the gain is for us, we are the beneficiaries”.

It is in this mandate of love, in which we find the reason for our mission: “We find the joy of our hearts, the solid principle to live Dominican fraternity, religious consecration. In these texts we are asked if we do not have God as Lord if there is no recognition of the lordship and sovereignty of God in our life, should we ask ourselves what is occupying that place of God in our life? If God is not there where he needs to be, what have we put there, who is there? because there will always be something or someone, even within our religious life, there will always be that temptation to place something or someone, resulting in idolatry, idols ”.

Brother Kleyver continued pointing out that perhaps everything lies in this aspect, of taking seriously these questions about God as the center of everything in our life and the center of love in all our surroundings us, “The unity of all our communities, of the entire province, lies there, especially in that disposition of recognizing the lordship and sovereignty of God in our lifestyle, otherwise it is impossible and there cannot be unity. When idols are present, we all know it, division, conflict, problems arise. When there are idols, al we know that we can have a confrontation, because my interests are going to collide with my interests, with my ego, with my profit and pleasure, with my project, and in that way we become obstacles and difficulties to others. We become a serious problem for the community, we become obstacles for superiors, for the common project and mission "

“In the love of God and in that recognition of the Lordship of God in our lives, it is the place where the true purpose of our existence lies. It is here brothers, where the real and deep meaning of what we are and what we do is found. That is why it is so important to hear, listen, be attentive to the voice of the one true God " Brother Kleyver, pointing out that this exercise should be done in the chapter: "An exercise to help dismantle the false idols that each one may have and thus rediscover that interior and community unity as a path of the fullness of service to God and humanity. Listening and listening, the chapter is the best space to listen, to hear to return to the roots and the heart to authentic faith, the genuine and true faith ”.

The liturgical animation was in charge of Brother Rafael Jesús Jiménez Morillo and Brother Jesús Ángel Barreda. 

By Fray Marcos Julio García Sánchez, OP (media commission)

Photos: Fray Marcos Julio García Sánchez, OP

Translation Modesto Fontela