Ongoing Formation of Religious - CMGlobal

VINCENTIANA 1/2-2008 - INGLESEApril 17, 2008 − 4ª BOZZA124 Cyril de Souza8.2. Necessary Spiritual ConditionsIn order to provide pedagogical help for spiritual transformationin ongoing formation, one should also facilitate the presence of somespiritual attitudes and conditions. These regard some very importantinner qualities and functions that should be present in the subject.1. Unconditional Self-Acceptance: When this condition is presentthe road is opened to growth and transformation. The individualshould be available to reflect on personal experience through thestages of internalizing, learning and growing in awareness of one’sneeds and values. When this is present, one is able to achieve apersonal transformation into Christ. With self-acceptance one is ableto achieve self-integration, and this self-integration liberates thatenergy which enables one to carry out the actions that implement are-oriented striving towards life goals.2. Docility to the Holy Spirit: This condition contributes to theknowledge of self, God and the world. Docility to the Spirit is theability to discern the voice of the Spirit and be led by that voice. Thevoice of the Spirit may appear at times to be silent, but its messageis of great importance in one’s life. The inner voice invites one tofollow as it leads toward a sense of purpose and meaning. Rationalthinking alone does not work, hence, the need for faith and honesty.These will remove egotism, prevent inner conflict and lead to peaceof mind.3. Identification with Christ: The principal objective of religiouslife is this identification with the attitude of Christ in proceeding tothe Father. It must be a person-to-person relationship if one wishesto enter into the mystery of Christ’s life, passion, death andresurrection and work towards living it interiorly and exteriorly.Identification with Christ and a maturing of relationship with himtake place mainly through faithful exercise of the evangelicalcounsels. Prayer and contemplation are also helpful in obtaining thisgoal of religious life — identification with Christ.4. Intimacy with Christ: It is the experience of closeness or unionbetween two persons and is the fruit of a long-term relationship. Asone grows in intimacy with Christ, there is also a growth in grace, asurrender to the action of the Holy Spirit and growth in likeness ofJesus. For a worthwhile intimacy, the consecrated person needs tohave a clear religious identity.