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THE BANALITY OF EVIL AND THE EXTRAORDINARINESS OF LOVE

Fr Paolo Consonni, MCCJ After more than a month into the war in Ukraine, we have already gotten used to images of houses destroyed, long lines of refugees, columns of smoke after bombardments, burned-out tanks and, sadly, hundreds of wounded people and dead bodies. We are so overexposed to this kind of news that we risk becoming immune to horror. For young people it is even worse – war is a virtual reality that can be treated like a videogame. The banality of evil causes us to become inured to it. Famous author Hannah Arendt, in a controversial book about the motivations of prominent Nazi leader Adolf Eichmann, responsible for the killing of millions of Jews during the Second World War, used the term “the banality of evil”. She realized that many of those who committed those crimes were neither perverted nor sadistic monsters, but “terrifyingly normal” people, acting out of a sense of duty, to advance their career, make money or even simply to blindly carry out orders as diligent bureaucrats. History shows that an accumulation of small choices made for banal motivations, without thoroughly thinking of their consequences, can provoke tragedies of unimaginable proportions. This Sunday, which marks the beginning of Holy Week, we will listen once again to the narration of the Lord’s Passion (Lk 22:14—23:56). Will we pay attention, or we will hear it as the same sad story of violence and death, similar to many others in the news? Will we view the evil in the events leading to Jesus’ death dispassionately because of their banality? There is nothing demonstrably alarming about Jesus’ Passion. It is a story of jealousy, greed, fear of someone upsetting the status quo, powerful people getting rid of a troublemaker through a corrupted justice system, zealous people trying to defend the purity of their traditions… we see these things happening every day all over the world. Besides, the narration of the Passion in each of the four Gospels is very sober. While Jesus’ sufferings are well described, there is no emphasis on the tortures, blood and all the gore that makes a horror movie or a videogame morbidly exciting. The point of the description of the Passion in the Gospels is not to make the death of Jesus, the Son of God, appear more painful than others (pain cannot be compared!), but to show its significance as the conclusion of Jesus’ extraordinary life. The life of Jesus was one of total self-giving, a gift given to the world by the Father who sent Him. A life in which He “went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him” (Acts 10:38). A life in which He carried upon His body all the darkness and tragedy of human experience, especially the ones coming from evil and death, only to return compassion, mercy and forgiveness. A life of unconditional love. We might become indifferent toward evil owing to its banality, but our hearts long to find something, or better still, someone, to save us from the cynical routine in which our lives become stuck. Something – or someone – that can embrace our struggles, our failures and our limitations. Something or someone to whom we can entrust our last breath, saying: “Into your hands I commend my spirit.” In other words, we long for the unconditional love Jesus’ revealed throughout His whole life and death. The early Christians understood that the narration of Christ’s Passion and death was important not only because it was expiation for our sins, but also because they understood that it was worth living and dying like Him. They also realized that only by inserting their own lives and deaths into His life and death, their existence might also become meaningful, worth living, worth the pain. Christ’s death saves us not only from the eschatological Hell, but also from a hellish, dull existence and relational life. Jesus’ disciples of every time and place, no matter whether married or not, all the young people who left everything to follow in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Ignatius of Loyola or Mother Teresa of Calcutta (among many), all made this choice in their ordinary lives with an extraordinary sense of gratitude for having found what matched their hearts’ desire to live a meaningful life. They answered the unconditional love they received from Christ with the gift of their lives. Only this love can overcome the inexorable passing of time, the cruelty of the world, the banality of evil, the weariness caused by sickness and the inevitability of the tomb. Jesus’ Passion and Death is not simply another story of pain and death. It is the only one which can bring light and meaning to all the others, including yours. Listen to it, once again, like the first Christians did, with an overwhelmed and grateful heart. (Original article appeared on https://www.oclarim.com.mo/en/2022/04/08/the-banality-of-evil-and-the-extraordinariness-of-love/)

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Cenacle Ministry of Prayer

Remembering Someone Special in this Season In this season of Advent and Christmas, we remember God’s Goodness through the many people who have helped us in this painful and difficult months. Angels who have journeyed with us throughout this year. A way to express our love, gratitude and appreciation for their presence and care, we bless them by enrolling them in the Cenacle Ministry of Prayer: A conscious will of praying together as a larger community, with the Cenacle Sisters,  where the interests of the Church and persons are made the subject of continual intercession before God. Due to high demand of enrolment during this time, we are open to receive bulk / early submissions so as to ensure quality and proper reception of requests.  The suggested offering for each enrollment is only P100/ Christmas card  exclude ‘delivery charges’. NOTE: Mary & Child Christmas is not available at the moment. Please complete the form below and our staff will connect with you for confirmation and pick up: Call our office at 70059220 or Viber / Whatsapp / SMS us at 0917 570 3349   For more information about our Prayer Ministry and other options for enrolment: http://www.cenaclephilsing.org/prayer-enrollment/ ‎

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Blessed Feast to All

Thank you for praying the Novena to the Blessed Trinity through the intercession of St. Thérèse Couderc with us! Let us continue this journey of hope together: On the journey. . . seek the light of the day, heaven’s blessing we pray may God’s fortune descend. We seek the Lord of the way. On the journey. . . seeking shelter from storms, safe be the tide shield us from darkness and harm. God, be the hope of our life. On the journey. . . call all races, all creeds; crossing mountains and streams give thanks for all we receive. God of the heavens and seas. On the journey. . . bless the bread shared for all, we rest in sleep we see your beauty at dawn. Great is the heart of our God! The sun shall rise and let its shadows fall Deep in the night, all people hear God’s call Rejoice, rejoice, let all our hearts be free Rejoice, rejoice, let all the world believe The risen Lord now calls us to prosper in his peace. Homily from Fr. James Gascon, SJ on the feast day celebration of St. Thérèse Couderc: St. Thérèse Couderc speaks to a world marked by three characteristics: insensitivity, self-entitlement and unlimitedness. In her humility, she offers us 3 ways to counteract these tendencies in the world: 1. Presence and Accompaniment, 2. Listening and Attentiveness, and 3. Communion and Solidarity. These gifts are precisely what she has given to the Cenacle, and they are what the Cenacle offers the world today. Above all, these gifts point to the most important grace that St. Thérèse received, and that is the conviction that God is Good. God is goodness.

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Christmas Community Pantry @ Inayawan

The dedicated team of volunteers, through the accompaniment of Sr. Perry (Cenacle Sister in Cebu), has grown to inspire the community and now included the youth in action. Since May 9, 2021, the team has identified and opened a pantry in Inayawan Dumpsite, Cebu to serve those who are in need for daily sustenance. In 2021 and 2022, our Christmas project was successful because of many generous donors. We pray that you will again be one with us in making our poorer brothers & sisters feel the joy of Christmas in these difficult times. Thank you! Donations may be sent via Gcash 0915 7817214 under Sr Perry Inso’s name with a message “Christmas @ Inayawan” OR interbank transfer to Bank: BPI Account Number: 9200 0030 44 Branch: Cebu P. del Rosario Account Name: Maria Perry Casinillo Inso OR Elizabeth Lim Go FOR MORE INFORMATION, please visit this link: https://www.cenaclephilsing.org/little-hands-in-cebu/ Who is St. Thérèse Couderc? She is the foundress of the Religious of the Cenacle – an international religious congregation, born in Lalouvesc , France in 1826 – whose mission is to make Jesus known and loved through retreats, spiritual direction, and other spiritual ministries. While the world quarantines itself with safe distancing and stay home measures this past year,  Sr. Perry chose to live the spirituality of Mother Thérèse’s “Goodness” & “Surrender” as she  continues to accompany our lay partners and youth in prayer and discernment. St. Therese Couderc saw God’s Goodness permeating all things and the whole world itself, and she was moved to respond with “Se Livrer,” that is, “to surrender oneself” to this Divine Goodness. It is a vision of the world that is full of hope in spite of the presence of suffering. Moved to action, the team started with a FREE KITCHEN project since April 2020 and has been feeding 100persons in Inayawan  [elderly and PWDs] and 68 children. Today, with the joyful addition of the youth in the team, they have organised a station to serve  6 areas of  Inayawan community.   Other ways of helping 1. Donate in-kind [food supplies] and send to 3886 First St., Forest Hills Subd., Banawa, Cebu City, 6000 Philippines. 2 . Live out Goodness in a creative way by celebrating life with the beneficiaries [anniversaries, birthdays, thanksgiving etc] For more inquiries and clarification on how you may support/assist, please email us at cenacle.philippines@gmail.com / Viber and Whatsapp 0917 570 3349 or FB messenger.  

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Online Individual (Guided) Retreats (2 options)

Option 1 Calming the Storm Within: A Spirituality for the New Normal An online retreat in 4 sessions – individual. This individual online retreat is designed to help participants discover the nearness of God in their lives, and in the process, help them confront the new normal brought about by the ongoing pandemic. Participants will pray for the graces needed to develop a peaceful mind and a trusting heart, strengthened and ready to respond to the invitations of God in their lives. The format of the retreat is to complete 4 sessions of watching pre-recorded points for prayer and then praying with the prayer points (ie. each session includes watching 1 video (less than 30min each) and making 1 prayer period individually). Participants will choose the date and time for each session for the prayer point – the link to each video will be emailed to them accordingly*. Participants will also meet with a Cenacle Sister twice for individual consultation (20-30minutes each) during the course of the retreat. *participants are advised to keep the interval between each session not beyond 1 week. Suggested contribution for the retreat: P2500 (US$50 or SG$70) per person Click here to register Option 2 Spiritual Exercises in a Covid 19 World: Finding Meaning in this Pandemic A 5-Day Guided (Online) Retreat with the Cenacle Sisters – Individual In this Covid-19 world, we find ourselves in uncertain times and unfamiliar territory.  We long to make sense of our experiences and questions.  This guided retreat, with suggested spiritual exercises, is an invitation to find the meaning behind our experience of this current pandemic. The first annotation to the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius describes a spiritual exercise as any way of disposing and ordering ourselves in order to seek and find God, of opening ourselves to the Spirit for light and understanding, and discovering how we can more deeply respond to God’s love and call.  We invite you to set out on this prayer journey, to enter into this present global reality, and to experience personal transformation as you co-create the emerging new normal. Retreatants will access retreat materials via the internet. They will meet online daily with a Cenacle Sister for individual consultation. Suggested Offering: P5000 or SGD140 per person. You may choose any 5 days (consecutively or weekends only) for your retreat. Register HERE. Need more information regarding the above options or if you’d like to cater to a group? Email us at cenacle.philippines@gmail.com We have made available Online Spiritual Accompaniment (a.k.a spiritual direction) and Individual Retreats: http://cenaclephilsing.org/online-retreat/

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Transforming Gentleness: the Grace of St. Thérèse Couderc

Homily of Fr. Daniel Patrick Huang, SJ on 26 September 2020, Feast of St. Thérèse Couderc in Rome. I hope you don’t mind, but this afternoon, I would like to reflect a little on your Mother, St. Thérèse Couderc, as a water purifier or filter. I realize that it’s not a very dignified or poetic image, but I hope that it helps explain what has struck me most these days about St. Thérèse: what I would call her transforming gentleness or her fruitful non-violence. A water purifier. This is not an original image, but one I learned from the spiritual writer Ron Rolheiser when he describes how the suffering of Jesus on the cross takes away the sins of the world. How does Jesus, the grain of wheat who dies, bring forth new life? Rolheiser suggests he does what a water purifier or a water filter does. “It takes in the water that contains impurities, dirt, toxins and occasional poisons.” The filter “does not simply let the water flow through it.” It “holds the dirt and toxins inside of itself and gives back only the pure water.” (1) This is what Jesus does on the cross: he holds in himself, bears in himself, the hatred, envy, anger, and violence of humanity, and instead of simply passing it on, somehow purifies all this in his own person, so that what flows out of him instead is love, graciousness, blessing, forgiveness, peace. Doesn’t this describe too what Thérèse Couderc lived in her sufferings? Reading various accounts of her life, I couldn’t help but be struck by the suffering and humiliation she went through, at the hands of a Jesuit Provincial and her own sisters. Looking back, one can see that Fr. Renault’s decision to replace Thérèse as superior general and foundress with a rich widow who had barely begun novitiate was not only ill advised but actually idiotic! What was he thinking? Till today, the writers I consulted struggle to explain Mother Charlotte Contenet’s inexplicable animosity towards Thérèse. I found myself asking: Why didn’t Thérèse fight back? She certainly would have had reason and justice on her side. Or why didn’t she just leave? Why didn’t she just start again, with a group of more congenial companions? Earlier accounts of Thérèse explain her response as humility: Thérèse as “une grande humble.” This seems to have been what was emphasized in her canonization process 50 years ago. But, as some of your sisters have pointed out (2), these accounts tend to speak of the humility of Thérèse in terms of uncomplaining submission, self-abasement, blind obedience to ecclesiastical authority, usually male. Although there is no doubt that Thérèse was deeply humble, this version of humility sounds suspiciously ideological. The more I reflected, the more I realized that Thérèse’s silent suffering was, in fact, less self-abasement, and more like the Gospel beatitude of meekness, what I have called transforming gentleness or fruitful nonviolence. Like her Lord, her dying was akin to the work of the water purifier. Instead of responding to stupidity, prejudice, pettiness, injustice in an aggressive, violent way, which would have continued the cycle of violence, Thérèse takes in all this and holds it in herself, and through the workings of grace in her deepest person, gives back instead kindness, reconciliation, peace, new life. By somehow absorbing in her person all this negativity, at great personal cost to herself, she kept the fragile congregation she so loved alive and united, for the sake of the work she so believed in, the revolutionary, till-that-time-unheard-of work of women religious giving the Spiritual Exercises. Even towards the end of her life, when she went through her “dark night” and could be seen weeping while she prayed for hours in the chapel in Lyons, she brought into her person all the pain and suffering of the Church, her beloved France, humanity estranged from its Creator. Somehow, mysteriously, like a water filter, what emerged from her was light and peace. There is that lovely story of the troubled novice who saw Thérèse in the novitiate in Versailles in 1880, not knowing who the elderly religious was, only seeing somehow light emanating from her, and feeling a deep sense of peace when that older sister looked into her eyes. (3) That this process involved crucifying pain for Thérèse seems clear. How did she do it? Where did she get the inner strength to respond with transforming gentleness to what would have provoked many of us to retaliation or escape? One of the favorite words of our former Superior General, Fr. Adolfo Nicolas, was the word depth, depth in the midst of a world of distraction and superficiality. I believe too that depth is the only word to describe Thérèse Couderc. Although her vision of goodness and her Se Livrer came decades later, those two documents capture the depth of her vision and her love throughout her life. Unlike many of us who can only see the surface of things and events, Thérèse was blessed with a vision that pierced beneath the surface to perceive the infinite goodness of God, like “letters of gold,” (4) gleaming and beautiful, present and active in the depths of all reality. And unlike those of us whose attention and desire are distracted and captured by so many lesser things, Thérèse was a profoundly centered woman, whose loving act of total surrender meant being so spiritually free that she held nothing back from God and lived completely from and for God. Because of the depth of her vision and the depth of her love, Thérèse was able to respond with depth to the events, even the most painful and difficult, of her life. Perhaps that is the reason why she so valued the ministry of the Exercises that her sisters were engaged in. It is precisely a ministry of depth that invites people to delve deeply into themselves to see the good God at work in their lives and in their world, and to respond with loving surrender to this

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Your Light Must Shine

Today we have a beautiful set of readings beginning from the Book of Kings, describing how the brook near where Elijah was hiding ran dry, and how he was instructed by God to move to a certain place where a widow will provide for him. Listen to the dialogue of the widow and Elijah; read between the lines: “Please bring me a cup of water” Elijah asked. That was easy to do and doable, so the widow went. Then Elijah asked for more “please bring me some bread”.  From this untimely request, what can we sense within the heart of the widow?  Stay with her in her suffering and struggle as she contemplated her plight, as when she had to explain that “when we (she and son) have eaten, we shall die” – this meal was to be their last: she was hanging on to her last thread of hope, awaiting and even preparing for the full blow of the crisis ahead. “Do not be afraid” says Elijah,  giving us a clue to what was going on inside of her at this time. Then, “Go…” Contemplating this widow’s situation, are we reminded of times when we, too, were hanging on to our last thread of hope and life? Literally it could be food that would be our last meal; or maybe an overseas student’s allowance running out; or a struggle with a relationship, a coping with sickness, or hurting from a broken heart or a failed endeavour; or being reminded of a disappointing past, etc.  Contemplating the widow’s plight, we see how she struggles now to share her last meal with a stranger. Observe how she does what Elijah proposed; spend some time with her in the kitchen: what was happening in her heart? Did she really believe in this stranger? Would you? You might wish to have a conversation with her. In this story, let us once again hear the affirming words of God through this text “Do not be afraid”.  Like the widow in whose heart the presence of a stranger ignited trust, can we trust that the unexpected can bring hope and life?  And because she trusted, she gave generously, and her generosity saved them all! Relating this to the call of the Gospel today: “your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father,” consider what risks you struggle with, as you respond to these reflection questions:  What is your greatest fear these days? How have you responded to stranger(s) visiting you? What miracles have you seen so far? Trust, which allows us to respond to the call to be light that shines, is always rooted in a lived experience. It comes from having a storehouse of memories where this trust is learned.  #goodness #gratitude #miracles #share

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Creating a space for the other: an Easter gift of covid-19

“Give us the grace in this trying times to work for the good of all and to help others  in need.” (from “Oratio Imperata”) This line has moved the hearts of many individuals, groups, organizations, congregations do what they can to help the neediest of our brothers and sisters. The Cebu Cenacle’s small contribution to this is coordinating ‘free kitchens.’ This idea came from a directee, Mary T.A. who asked if there’s a place to set up a free kitchen. Two places readily came to mind, the Inayawan dumpsite and Kalubihan, Banawa where our helper, Alice, lives.   The Cenacle receives the donations of rice, veggies, eggs, cooking oil, canned goods, spices, and other ingredients which are then passed on to the volunteers in the two areas. The volunteers take pictures and post these on Facebook so the donors see that the cooked food are given to the target individuals, the senior citizens and children. Reflection of Sr. Perry Inso, from Cenacle Cebu community: Holding a ‘free kitchen’ is not an easy task especially in a place like the Inayawan dumpsite. The volunteers had to set up a makeshift dirty kitchen since there was no available kitchen. They use big stones as the stove for cooking and made three of these ‘stoves’. They gather firewood which is fortunately available in a nearby lot. They have to set up some tables to prepare the ingredients for cooking. The reusable containers are then laid out for efficient apportioning of the cooked food.  Once I helped the volunteers. I experienced all the challenges they went through the past 14 days. One challenge is the smoke from the firewood which makes one’s eyes teary. Enduring the smoke, the heat and the sweat were not much of a problem.  What I found difficult and heartbreaking was the experience of bringing the cooked food to the houses of the senior citizens and being confronted with the stark poverty of their homes. I’ve been to this area a number of times, but not to the houses of the senior citizens. Inayawan is a dumpsite — so mounds of garbage were everywhere. Garbage littered the footpaths and covered the muddy places where pigs were raised and the residents did their laundry. I had to mind my steps so as not to accidentally step on something unwanted even as the volunteer ahead of me would warn me from time to time to watch my step. The stench of the place was something to contend with, something that has become a normal for the residents. Fortunata, one of the original scavengers in the place, owned the first house we went to. She lives alone even if her children live nearby. Her one-room house is used for everything — kitchen, dining room, and sleeping area. Scattered around were piles of soiled clothes on the floor and stacks of unwashed plates. The walls of the one-room house were made of flimsy material. One wall was a used shower curtain and the other side was a used tarpaulin. The roof was made of galvanized iron with a lot of empty sacks on top of it which were supposed to cover the leaking roof when it rains. When we gave Fortunata the cooked food, a big smile covered her face. She told us that she’s been waiting for us and repeatedly said “thank you” and “God bless you” in Cebuano. Then she asked for water but we did not have any bottled water this day. Helen, the social worker, we work with closely, immediately gave her 100 pesos. Fortunata became teary eyed and was truly grateful. Though it was a difficult to witness, she was still smiling. Fortunata was just one of the numerous senior citizens in the area whose living situation was miserable.  After the food distribution, my blouse was very wet with sweat and my feet heavy from walking. But my heart felt heavier. Seeing the reality of our poorer brothers and sisters living in that kind of environment breaks my heart. Yet, they were very grateful. Another source of consolation was the fact that the other needy neighbors did not question why they were not given food packs. Instead from their windows they greeted us and smiled at us as we passed. They understood that our priorities were the senior citizens and babies/children. Despite the heaviness of heart brought about by helplessness, I am still very grateful for the gift of the encounter with them. I may not be able to build houses for each of them, but they have found a home in my heart. I am forever grateful for their humility and simplicity. My heart too is full of gratitude for the generosity of the donors and most especially for the volunteers. I am confident that God blesses all!! 

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Faint Glows and Sparkly Somethings

A reflection for Easter 2020 by Sr. Yna Oñate, rc For K-drama fans, these images from a scene in the recent hit “Crash Landing On You” would be familiar. A blackout envelops the entire village and Yoon Se-ri, a South Korean who accidentally landed in North Korea, was left by herself in the market, lost among a crowd of strangers in a potentially dangerous place. The darkness pulls her back into a painful memory of being abandoned as a child. She starts to count, just like she did back then, while waiting for someone to rescue her. Perhaps resigned to the thought that no one would come, she takes a deep sigh, as if mustering all her courage, to face her present darkness, and just as she did she saw a dot of faint glow from a distance. She walks toward it, one timid step at a time, eyes fixed on the source. It got brighter and brighter as she drew nearer. She soon realizes it is Captain Ri who’s holding a candle high for her to see. Tears well up in her eyes; this is the same man who had come to her rescue several times before.  Faith in God does not guarantee we will never be in darkness. Darkness is part of our human experience. Even Jesus, the Son of God, was not spared of darkness; we were reminded of this these past three days, but the promise of Easter is that the darkness of death will never triumph. When we look around us we still see the darkness of disease, greed, hatred, hunger, corruption, injustice, inequality, etc. These days in quarantine must have heightened our sensitivity toward the darkness that surrounds us, and yet, in spite of the gloom, glimmers of goodness and generosity give us hope. Amidst the rising death toll, you may have heard of the nurse who, after her shift, buys groceries and distributes to the homeless, or of the street vendor who gave free taho to the checkpoint personnel at a border, and of many acts of selflessness and compassion from ordinary people. Or maybe you didn’t have to look very far, you may have observed lovely things in your own home—the laughter of your child or spouse, the chirping birds, the plants outside your house, the filling goodness of the humble kamote… things you failed to notice before. God’s love for us is like Captain Ri with his candle, God’s help always comes at the right time. We do not know how long this Covid-19 crisis will last, and what else will come, but we trust that God always gives us enough light to enable us to take a step, one at a time, toward the right direction. Jesus Christ is our Light! Light shines in the dark, “a light that darkness could not overpower. (John 1:5)” This is what our Christian faith asserts, but how do we keep trusting God in the “blackout” of our lives? St. Ignatius de Loyola has an advice: In moments of desolation, recall moments of consolation. A wise omma from one of my favorite K-dramas (iBecause This Is My First Life) puts it in a lyrical way when she talked about “star pockets”: “Even in an ordinary life there are times when something sparkly floats by. At those times you must not miss it, and keep it carefully in your star pocket. So when you are having a tough time and when you are exhausted, you can take out your stars and look at them, and endure the hard times.” We only see stars when the sky is dark, don’t we?” So, this Easter, let us pray for the grace that we may recognise the stars and the Captain Ri’s that God sends our way. And may we never fail to respond to God’s call to be light for others. Happy Easter, friends! P.S. Captain Ri is played by actor Hyun Bin, an oppa with bewitching handsomeness! Well, while God’s help always comes, it does not always come in this package. We pray that we may not pass up God’s offers just because we expect them to come in certain ways. 

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