Our Mission of Reconciliation

By Donald Miranda, SJ

Introduction: Our world is rapidly spiraling down a volcano, waiting to explode. With wars of revenge, retribution and the unfinished business of historical events, the human species is threatened with self-annihilation by damaging, possibly irreversibly, the very natural foundations of the eco-system that has birthed, sustained, and blessed it. The growing alienation between human communities, motivated by a misplaced sense of pride and power in economic, cultural, and national identities, has driven this self-destructive tendency to abysmal depths. Our urgent mission is to build bridges in a process of reconciling differences towards creating a universal sense of oneness and peace.

Mission is central: Part Seven of the Jesuit Constitutions, which deals with the Mission of the Society, is the nucleus of the Constitutions. Ignatius titles it in a very personal and interactive way – “The distribution of incorporated members in Christ’s vineyard, and their relationship with their fellowmen.” [Const. 603-654]

The purpose of the Constitutions is to preserve and develop the Society for its mission [Const.3,136]. Mission is central to the Constitutions. The parts before, are preparations for mission, and the parts following deal with effective ways of carrying out the mission. Not only the selection and training of candidates, but also religious life in the Society is determined by mission. The Jesuit is a man on mission. To be on mission is the identity of a Jesuit. He is not a Jesuit first and then sent on mission. Being sent defines his identity as a companion of Jesus. [Comp. Norms 2.1]

The centrality of mission in the Society becomes clear from the life of Ignatius and the Spiritual Exercises. The mission of the Society has its origin in the compassionate heart of the Triune God. Ignatius’ desire to share in the saving mission of Christ is expressed and nurtured by the exercises of the Incarnation, the Kingdom Meditations, the Two Standards and the Three Degrees. His prayer, since Cardoner days, to be placed with Christ in his mission, was finally answered in the La Storta Vision, when the Father placed him with the Son as a servant of his mission.

Being placed with Christ as servants of his mission under his vicar, the Pope, is our fundamental grace and identity. It makes us companions of Jesus. While addressing the delegates of General Congregation 35 of the Society of Jesus, Pope Benedict XIV emphasized this universal concern in his allocution: “Your Congregation takes place in a period of great social, economic, and political changes; sharp ethical, cultural, and environmental problems, conflicts of all kinds, but also of more intense communication among peoples, of new possibilities of acquaintance and dialogue, of a deep longing for peace. All these are situations that challenge the Catholic Church and its ability to announce to our contemporaries the Word of hope and salvation”.

Being placed with Christ as servants of his mission under his vicar, the Pope, is our fundamental grace and identity. It makes us companions of Jesus.

Called to reconciliation: St. John’s gospel speaks of the reconciliation of the world with God in and through Jesus Christ (John 3:16 and John 17). In Jesus Christ, especially through his Passion and Death, this mission is continued by his disciples, even today. Jesus crossed over physical and socio-religious frontiers in proclaiming God’s message of love and compassion. His ministry of reconciliation with God, and with one another, knew no boundaries. He spoke to the powerful, challenging them to a change of heart. On the cross we see all his words and actions revealed as expressions of the final reconciliation effected by the Crucified and Risen Lord.

Three-fold Reconciliation: General Congregation 35 (2008) of the Society of Jesus recommends a three-fold reconciliation:

1. Reconciliation with God. This happens by allowing God, “the Creator to deal immediately with the creature and the creature with its Creator and Lord” (Sp. Ex. 15) and to lead people to a deeper relationship with God. This is a Universal Apostolic Preference (UAP 1) of the Society of Jesus, given as the first and foremost missionary mandate to the Society by Pope Francis in 2019.

We live in a world of many religions and cultures. The erosion of traditional religious beliefs and the tendency to homogenize cultures has strengthened a variety of forms of religious fundamentalism. Faith in God is increasingly being used by some to divide people and communities, to create polarities and tensions which tear at the very fabric of our common social life. All these changes call us to the frontiers of culture and of religion. We need to strengthen and support…(and) listen carefully to all, and to build bridges linking individuals and communities of good will. (GC 35, n. 66)

2. Reconciliation with One Another: This is achieved by creating new relationships among people, where other forces have broken the bonds of love and solidarity within the human family; excluding and exploiting the weak and the poor, which is intensified on the basis of religion, race, caste, and gender. This is included in the Universal Apostolic Preference of Walking with the Poor and Accompanying Young People for a Hope-filled Future (UAP 2 & 3).

Our commitment to help establish right relationships invites us to see the world from the perspective of the poor and the marginalized, learning from them, acting with and for them.

In this context, the Holy Father reminds us that the preferential option for the poor” is implicit in the Christological faith in a God who for us became poor, to enrich us with his poverty (2 Cor 8:9)”. He invites us with a prophetic call to renew our mission “among the poor and for the poor”. (GC 35, n. 71)

Faith in God is increasingly being used by some to divide people and communities, to create polarities and tensions which tear at the very fabric of our common social life. All these changes call us to the frontiers of culture and of religion.

3. Reconciliation with Creation. We can reconcile with creation by caring for our “common home”. This is the last Universal Apostolic Preference (UAP 4), which includes the previous two. The cry of Mother Earth is a cry to restore our relationship with God and Others. Nature is the most preferred place to encounter God. Those most affected by the destruction of nature are the poor, marginalized and future generations,  children and youth.

Care of the environment affects the quality of our relationships with God, with other human beings, and with creation itself. It touches the core of our faith in and love for God, “from whom we come and towards whom we are journeying”. It might be said that St. Ignatius teaches us this care of the environment in the Principle and Foundation when speaking of the goodness of creation, as well as in the Contemplatio ad Amorem, when describing the active presence of God within creation. (GC 35, n. 76)

General Congregation 36 (2016) occurred in a dramatically changed ecclesial climate. Pope Francis – the first Jesuit Pope – had strongly shaped the Catholic Church’s priorities, with a clear emphasis on the poor, mercy, justice, care for creation and accompaniment. His encyclical Laudato Si (2015) stressed environmental stewardship as part of the Church’s moral vision.

GC36 took these into account and articulated a vision encapsulated in two major decrees: “Companions in a Mission of Reconciliation and Justice” (D.1) — calling Jesuits and partners to work for reconciliation with God, with one another, and with all creation. “Governance at the Service of Mission” (D.2) outlined renewed structures and leadership approaches to govern the Society’s mission collaboratively and dynamically; built on the triptych of discernment, collaboration and networking.

Formation & Sharing: Our mission of reconciliation will be more effective when Jesuits are formed in pluralistic, multicultural, multireligious and diverse environments, so that they can respond with agility and solidarity in a complex and interdependent world. Furthermore, our mission of reconciliation invites the Society to evaluate and renew its apostolic preferences and governance at all levels — local, regional, conference, and global — in lowering barriers and improving cooperation across regions and ministries by sharing of human, institutional and financial resources.

The Jesuit is a man on mission. To be on mission is the identity of a Jesuit. He is not a Jesuit first and then sent on mission. Being sent defines his identity as a companion of Jesus.

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