Saturday, April 30, 2011

The Recruiting Community: Jester of God

The Crosier Community as Recruiter

Blessed Junípero Serra, S.J., the founder of the missions in Mexico and California, is the patron saint of the Serrans, a national organization of Catholic men in the U.S., dedicated to vocation ministry.

The jester is the medieval equivalent of our modern-day clown. The jester shows up in unusual dress and creatively attracts attention to ordinary human experience, causing both light-heartedness and reflection. Is that not how we must be in our recruitment efforts today?

So much of our vocational approach seems old and worn out. Perhaps we need to learn from the “jester of God” how to appear before the world of potential candidates in new ways that touch their sensibilities, hold their attention and attract their spirits to us. This will mean innovation. How can we become more of the innovative “jester of God” in our Crosier vocational efforts?

In the graphic above, the Crosier “jester of God” enters the scene in distinctive costume (charism), his consecration symbolized in his three-tasseled hat (vows). He holds up a mirror for others to see the deepest meaning of the human experience (Paschal Mystery).

The thumb on his right hand points upward as he draws the crowd behind him into a dance toward the better place (Kingdom). His gestures genuinely and compassionately embrace the suffering society around him (service). He is evidently a "coach" for passage towards hope.

He shows himself first and foremost to be brother, sharing life with others of like spirit, his heart beating with Augustinian inspiration (community). He is a celebrator, sure-footed and spiritually free, even contemplative in his joy over salvation from God (liturgy). Is this not the "jester of God" vocationally interested people today can identify with?

For a fuller reflection on Crosier recruitment, click this link: Reflections and Convictions

1 comment:

  1. Had trouble commenting yesterday, the blog site was not working.
    This (jester)is a great illustration. For sure the word, the truth, has trouble penetrating the "sounds" of pop culture. Something creative and attractive, yet with substance, is worth pursuing.

    ReplyDelete