„Our consecration sets us free, ready to proclaim the beauty of the Church. «I shall dedicate my whole self to the good of the Mystical Body which is the Church, and you shall take care of me»” (Constitutions 11). These words express quite well what availability means in the context of religious life. When we search this word in dictionary, we can find out that availability is a quality of being able to be used. It means that a person is free to do something. It can refer to external freedom (from family bonds, for example), but much more to interior one: this kind of detachment of oneself that makes it possible to leave everything and follow wherever it may be. It has also much in common with generosity of heart, always ready to give it all without keeping things, persons, positions etc. for „just in case”.

Why to talk about it today? Just yesterday we celebrated feast of Francisco Palau. His life, message, charism is given to us as inspiration and model with which we should constantly confront and conform our personal life. In his life and words we can see his own readiness to follow the designs of God’s Providence, his total freedom and availability in mission. One can ask: how was he able to be so generous and free and available? Because he had no fear. And how it comes that he was able to live without fear? Because he was able in every moment of his life to trust God. All our fears are based on our disbelief, on the fact that we continuously try to build security only on our human capacities, which are always limited and bound to fail. We plunge in our own fear when we keep starring on dangers and our own strength, instead of looking on Jesus and expect from him to give us strength for walking on troubled waters (cf. Mt 14:29-31). Experience of fear faces us with challenge of overcoming ourselves, leaving behind all that our life was built on until now, and of finding a fundament that won’t fall down even when all human securities will fall. This is the only way if we want to live free. Palau expressed it in these words: „I see one thing: that God takes me by hand like a good father and leads me where he wants. Hence, I will go where I do not know and will march where I do not want. God knows how ready I am to serve his Church and that in the matters of his glory I see everything plain and easy. He knows how little I care for my life and my rest and how detached I am of all human and heavenly consolation. And because God knows my generosity, he will not abandon me but will guide me where he pleases. I will go secure, entrusted to his fatherly solicitous care” (Letter 56,1). „God will not abandon me, and will not abandon me because he knows and understands the depths of my soul, the rectitude of my purposes, objectives and intentions, sees my loyalty and generosity in sacrificing whatever I esteem and value” (Letter 49,1).

To this kind of freedom we, daughters of Francisco Palau, are invited. So that, together with him, we could sing: „I will fo where the glory of God calls me” (Letter 39,5).

 

Aleksandra Nawrocka CMT