Maite Uribe, the President of the TA Association, in her Letter of the year 2020, presents the invitation to be “Inwardly distinctive and outwardly ordinary” as an opportunity to delve deeper into one of the characteristics that, for Pedro Poveda defines the identity of those who feel called, then and now, to collaborate in the mission of the Teresian Association.
The distinctiveness of the spirit of Christ
Letter of the year 2020
In this year 2020, the motto “Like Mary, the first disciple, give us a listening heart that gladly does whatever He tells us” unites all those who share the charism of the Teresian Association.
The president of the TA in her Letter asks “How can we read the signs of the times in order to be able to embark on paths of humanization together with the men and women of goodwill with whom we share our daily lives?"
Amid the urgent concerns and difficulties we face today: climate change, migration, inequalities, the situation of women and families... we are given the opportunity, like to the good Samaritan of the Gospel, to change the perspective, the direction, the center of interest, and see others, with love, as our neighbors, brothers and sisters.
“Inwardly distinctive and outwardly ordinary, says Maite Uribe, means crossing the paths of others, glancing into their eyes, risking encounters, and looking at the face which no one pays attention to, so that little by little, we get to feel and be their neighbor, their brother or sister”.
The Letter that will guide and accompany the members of the TA this year is also offered to collaborators and to all those who find inspiration and guidance for their daily lives in this charism.
Live immersed
The content develops central affirmations by the founder to define the characteristics of his work and the identity of its members, from whom he expects an intense spiritual life, centered on Jesus Christ and his gospel.
The singularity of the spirit of Christ leads us to live immersed, "like the ordinary people" in the culture and history with a prophetic and wise faith. As in the encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan woman, the task that is asked of us today is to know the “wells” that people go to when they are tired or when they are seeking meaning for their lives.
Learning from Mary
Mary of Nazareth is an example of these attitudes and of true singularity and solidarity.
The TA president dedicates the last paragraphs of her 2020 letter to Mary "the first disciple," the one who said yes to the Incarnation, identified with the poor in the Magnificat, and stood by the Cross of his Son trusting in the resurrection.
“Pedro Poveda - says Maite Uribe - invites us to an 'unmistakable manner' in how to relate to Mary”… May we indeed discover that “unmistakable” way “in order to learn from Mary how to embody the unique spirit of Christ, with a manner of being and acting that will make our daily living fruitful, firm, solid, with the flavor and taste of God.”