George Matulaitis Journal

Christ? What hardship and persecution lie in store for us? We must be ready for anything. And so, we need people who are filled with energy, active and independent, but also prudent and resourceful, able to see this world and people with the eyes of faith and always remaining steadfastly intent on achieving their goal, faithful to the spirit of their enterprise until death, until they are eternally united to God. We need the sort of people who, even if exiled or deported by the government, would be immediately capable of standing on their own feet, of organizing their life in such a way as to continue gathering people around them; who, even if they should be completely cut off from their colleagues, would still be able to live their religious life, to walk in the ways of God, and to draw others to do so; people who would not become apathetic or careless in their vocation, but would inspire other souls toward a higher and more spiritual way of life. Even though we intend to work primarily among our own people, yet we should have a truly catholic heart able to embrace the whole Church and the whole world. If it be God’s will that our superiors send us to another country or that the government send us into exile, we must immediately set to work there, to learn the local language and try to gain an understanding of the needs, desires, aspirations, and spirit of the people among whom we find ourselves. We should devote ourselves to these people with all our hearts just as if they were our own brothers and carry on the work of Christ among them. “If they persecute you in one town, take refuge in the next”(Mt l0:23). We must certainly develop individual initiative in our members, but in a good sense. On the other hand, we must train them to conform to the Constitution, to the general discipline and order of community life with the brothers, to subject themselves humbly to the authority of their superiors. The good of the whole, our common undertakings and tasks, the greater glory of God and the salvation of souls as well as the needs of the Church must always take precedence, limiting individual initiative. Individualism can become a destructive force if it is not ruled and ordered by self-denial, humility, complete dedication to God and to the salvation of souls and full obedience to the Congregation and its superiors. 85