Constitutional text - Chapter Tree - Our Community life

We have joined our efforts to better fulfill a mission that has
been given - a mission woven into our history and continually
evolving into new shapes and forces. By this corrnnon response we
create an apostolic connnunity - the Missionaries of Our Lady of
La Salette - a "cormrunity of action" working to make more present
in our work the gift of Reconciliation.
In response to God's call • . . .
Two essential components in a religious vocation are: God's call
and our free response. This text, as well as paragraph two ofthe
Chapter on the vows, keeps before our eyes the fact that we are
dealing with a "vocation" from God and not simply a personal and
purely hwnan choice.
God's call is echoed throughout Scripture. In Isaiah we read, "I
have called you by name, you are mine." (Is. 43 :1) The Evangelists
record the call to the disciples, a call that has come down through
the centuries and certainly stirred in our own hearts atone point
in our lives: "Come, follow me." (Mt. 4:18-22, Mk. 1:16-20,
Jn. 1:35-43). "It was not you who chose me, it was I who chose
you .••" (Jn. 15:16) The call to love one another is especially
recurrent in St. John's writings. (Jn. 15) It is this call that
creates commu.nion, a commu.nion of service to one another, as St.
Paul reminds us: ''My brothers, remember you have been called to
live in freedom ••• out of love, place yourselves atone another's
service." (Gal. 5:13) Love, unity, service - alla call and gift
from God. ''M:ike every effort to preserve the unity which has the
Spirit as its origin and peace as its binding force. TI1ere is but
one body and one Spirit, just as there is but one hope given all
of you by your call." (Eph. 4:3-4)
Jean Vanier in his book Commu.nity and Growth describes very beautifully
this basic mystery that lies at the heart of any Christian
community.
Commitment in a comrrn.mity is not primarily something
active, like joining a politica! party or trade union.
Those need militants who give their time and energy and
are ready to fight. A commu.nity is something quite different.
It is the recognition by its members that they
have been called by God to live together, love eachother,
pray and work together in response to the cry of thepoor.
And that comes first at the level of being rather than of
doing. Active commitment in a corrmunity is more or less
preceded by a recognition that you are always 'at home',
that you are part of its body, that you have entered into
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