Nancy’s report

Experience in Nicaragua by Nancy

Go to Galilee

“Let what was seen in Christ Jesus be seen in you: Though being divine in nature, he did not claim in fact equality with God, but emptied himself, taking on the nature of a servant, made in human likeness, and in his appearance found as a man” (Ph 2,5-7)

Some days ago I have been sharing in Nicaragua and as sometimes, or to say it in another way, nearly always when the experiences are deep, the words are not enough to express them, I wanted to begin telling you a little bit about those days, first of all with this text from Philippians. From it, the first reflection which I literally transcribe from a book called “Bajar al encuentro de Dios” (Come down to meet God) (Benjamín González Buelta). Jesus formed and guided the disciples’ community to the borders of the passion and death. But the disciples group offered Jesus their warm friendship and helped people to believe in the announcement of the Kingdom which creates community and which cannot be announced by only one person. And the whole people gave Jesus a history, a race, a language. They allowed him to be one of us, “one of many”.

This quote soaked in my soul because I had not been so conscious that Jesus and his people are one, the first one could have not accomplished his love mission without the second one, it means, the people gave Jesus the warmth, the proximity, they make him one of them in community and together they built the life’s plan and God’s love and make the Kingdom to be known in the Land. A Kingdom which has a name for me today, God’s favorites, the little ones, the humbles, the poor, those are beloved by God and those are who have given me warmth like Jesus had, those are who made me one of them and who have revealed me without techniques, without methodologies, without formula nor complications, Jesus’ real face. A face that one can see and feel in each one I have met or seen, here in the Recreo neighborhood. They are those who witness with their life of the faith strength, those who reveal the union and the sincere and real love to others. The “Recreo” is, maybe without realizing it, a Galilee where God lives and where one can find Him as He is in His essence, a God of love, mercy and justice.

And where each one of us is called to meet Jesus, as he told the women after his resurrection “The angel said to the women: ‘Do not be afraid, for I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he is risen as he said. Come, see the place where they laid him; then go at one and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead and is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. This is my message for you.’ They left the tomb at once in holy fear yet with great joy, and they ran to tell the news to the disciples. Suddenly, Jesus met them on the way and said, ‘Peace’. The women approached him, embraced his feet and worshiped him. But Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to set out for Galilee; there they will see me.” (Mt 28,5-10)

Pope Francis told us the same during his Easter homily “It is necessary to go back to Galilee”. It does not mean to go back, it is not a longing “it is to return to the first love, to receive the fire which Jesus has lit in the world, and to bring it to everyone, to the end of the world”. It is Jesus’ fire which makes the people live in a committed community, as the first Christians with their constant struggles but being recognized by the way of living and moreover by the way they love each other; a love which they show in their prayers. Furthermore, when they offer their gifts for others’ service, many times giving not only what is left over but giving the only thing they have as the widow, this means generosity, it is the motor which unites them and make them feel as one family, as Theodore said remembering Jesus “and they will be one heart”.

With all this, I can say that Managua is a Sion community where one lives the commandment of love daily, here nobody lives alone, but together they work for the Kingdom and help themselves to go on walking. It means that the seed once planted by sister Margarita Jiménez, sister Virginia Solís, sister Carmen Barrantes and sister Deidamia Portuguez on May 6th 1964, has been like the mustard seed which even so small, with God’s grace and the people’s strength, continues stronger than ever; in his branches gestates the hope to see in plenitude the Kingdom of justice, peace and love which comes from God. It is for us, as sons and daughters, to make it evident.

This is only a short sharing of my experience in this Galilee. I finish thanking God for this life experience and to each one of you who, without doubt, walk with me with your prayers and blessings.

Nancy Mena Fernández, Postulante NDS