The Passionist Charism

What gives life meaning to you, inspires you to keep on living, makes life worthwhile for you? What gives you that fire to get up every morning or even at night when you don’t want to but need to? What gives you the motivation to do the little things and face the big things in life?That is what a charism is, a gift from God that enables us to make sense out of life and motivates us to live life fully. A charism touches the very core of our existence and colors everything that we do as human beings. It allows us to see things in new ways, and to understand them even more wonderfully. We absorb a charism as we absorb sunshine, and we radiate a charism as a light pierces the darkness.

The Passionist Charism has many symbols but only one reality: the Paschal Mystery. It is the dying and rising of Jesus the Christ, Son of God and Son of Mary. It is the willingness to be faithful to one’s mission in life, even to the point of death. It is the tremendous leap of faith that enables us to believe that suffering and death can be redemptive, our path to everlasting life. It is the acknowledgement that there is no greater love on earth than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. It is the most profound mystery of our lives, one truth but many facets.

The Passionist Charism is often expressed by using the words of the Apostle Paul: “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.” (1 Cor. 1:17). Thus the Passionist Charism calls us to proclaim Christ and Him Crucified!

We find life and meaning in the Cross of Christ Crucified. The Crucified Christ becomes our constant companion on our journey of faith. We pause along our way to reflect and meditate upon this Divine Mystery, we take time to celebrate it in Word and Sacrament, we give our lives, especially to those who are powerless, the crucified ones of today. We know its healing power because we too are in need of its saving grace.

May the Passion of Jesus be always in our hearts.