EAO Good Night Talk (29)
For download:
EAO-GNT-2016 (29) August ENG Vine Tree Icon.pdf
August 1, 2016
Communion – a very precious gift!
Dear friends and confreres,
Yesterday was concluded the World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland. The two million of the young gathered together from all five continents, including the Salesian Youth Movement Forum & Festival (6000 youth gathered on July 27) are already heading back to their home places. Not many of us were so lucky to participate in some World Youth Day, but everybody is aware about the impact of this genial initiative of St. John Paul II since 1985 on the Catholic Church. Through the encounters with young disciples of Jesus from other continents the faith is growing and we can touch multiple effects also in our Salesian Youth Movement in the EAO Provinces.
Keeping in mind the communion fruits produced by the personal visits of the Rector Major in our EAO countries, we can appreciate better this precious gift. Those who are sharing and living in communion with the Rector Major, they grow and act with more Salesian mind and criteria. Those who are not very much in touch with the world wide community of the Salesian Family are becoming weaker and less motivated and dynamic.
The Biblical Icon of Jesus Vine Tree was chosen as the General Chapter 27 as visible reminder and motivation for our renewal in this 6 year period (2014-2020). One tree with many branches reminds us the inter-twinning of our life as Salesians of Don Bosco wherever we are living. Even un-noticed life witness in one Oratory does affect the life of my Salesian brothers in other community, other province and other continents.
I find this biblical icon image very powerful reminder in my daily life! As every icon we can contemplate Jesus and his branches on the Icon. But in the same time we believe that Jesus is contemplating us daily with his welcoming arms, keeping the Word at the center!
I wish you a fruitful month of August, another opportunity to live within the communion of the world wide Catholic Church and the Salesian world community!
Fr. Václav Klement, SDB - EAO Regional councillor
