{"id":107359,"date":"2013-05-16T10:05:16","date_gmt":"2013-05-16T08:05:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vincentians.com\/?p=107359"},"modified":"2016-06-23T09:08:20","modified_gmt":"2016-06-23T09:08:20","slug":"the-way-of-st-vincent-is-our-way-41-available-to-go-anywhere-in-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/vincentians.com\/en\/the-way-of-st-vincent-is-our-way-41-available-to-go-anywhere-in-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"The Way of St. Vincent Is Our Way. 41. Available to go anywhere in the world"},"content":{"rendered":"

Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. Those who believe and are baptized will be saved; those who do not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:15-16<\/p>\n

This characteristic is to be kept in mind in this work of evangelization which the Congregation proposes to carry out; … readiness to go to any part of the world, according to the example of the first missionaries of the Congregation. Constitutions, 12, 5<\/p>\n

What we refer to today as “availability”, Saint Vincent called “indifference”. The Vincentian doctrine on indifference or availability, to go anywhere in the world where our work of evangelization is necessary, is summarized in our Common Rules:<\/p>\n

Each one should show a great eagerness in the sort of openness to God’s will which Christ and the saints developed so carefully. This means that we should not have a disproportionate liking for any ministry, person, or place, especially our native land, or for anything of that sort. We should even be ready and willing to gladly leave any of these if our superior asks it, or even hints at it, and without complaint, to put up with any disappointment or disruption this might cause, accepting that in all this the superior has done well, in the Lord<\/span>1<\/sup><\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

On many other occasions Saint Vincent elaborated the meaning of availability.<\/p>\n

1. Our Vocation Is Based on Our Going Forth to the Whole World<\/h2>\n

The name apostle or missionary (a word which has been given to us by the people) reminds us of the disposition that ought to be a part of us, namely, to go where we are sent. This is the meaning of our missionary vocation in the Congregation of the Mission. Saint Vincent explained this characteristic of our vocation when he said:<\/p>\n

If it is true that we are called to proclaim God’s love to all people, if we have an obligation to kindle this fire of God’s love in all nations, if this is true, then, how could I, myself, not burn with this divine fire? How could I not be enkindled with a love for those with whom I live? How could I not give edification to my own by living this love and leading my dear confreres to the practice of those acts that proceed from this love?<\/span>2<\/sup><\/a><\/span>\n

2. God Sends Us Forth and So We Ought to Be Ready to Go Anywhere in the World<\/h2>\n

From the history of the Congregation of the Mission, we know that the first missionaries were willing to sacrifice everything as they went to those places where our Holy Founder sent them. Even the oldest members wanted to be sent to the foreign missions. These examples ought to strengthen us in our apostolic zeal:<\/p>\n

There are infirm old men who have asked to be sent to those countries, and have asked it in their infirmity, even when that infirmity was very grievous. They did so because their hearts were free. They go with affection to all places where God wishes to be known, and nothing keeps them here except his will. If we were not entangled in some thorny briars, we would all say: ‘My God, send me. I give myself to you and am ready to go to any place in the world. I am ready to go where my superiors think fit to send me. I am ready to go to announce Jesus Christ; and, though I should die there, I am still ready to go and offer myself to God’s people for this end, knowing that my salvation depends on obedience, and the accomplishment of your will.’<\/span>3<\/sup><\/a><\/span>\n

3. We must Continually Force Ourselves to Overcome Our Own Natural Inclinations<\/h2>\n

Ascetical theology offers us different methods to attain a spirit of indifference or availability. Saint Vincent liked to single out the following way:<\/p>\n

The means of obtaining this indifference from God is constant mortification, interior and exterior. I will give you no other means. In the first place, let us reflect in order to discover whether we have an inclination to one thing rather than to another, and what are the objects which attract us most, in order to be on our guard against them, to labor incessantly at separating ourselves from them, to root out from our heart all these inclinations, to disengage ourselves from all creatures, and to mortify our passions and senses at all times and in all places<\/span>4<\/sup><\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n