Fiat Dove


FIAT SPIRITUALITY
        





Historical Background

Fiat Spirituality for
the Individual

Fiat Prayer Group

Commitment

Information

References

Acknowledgments

Reflections & Intentions

Biographies

Testimony

Contact

FIAT Spirituality for the Individual

INTRODUCTION

What better way to introduce the FIAT Spirituality than letting Cardinal Suenens present it to us:

"The FIAT message is essentially an invitation to become more open to the 'New Pentecost' as a key to the New Evangelization to which we are called. This message emphasizes that the secret of all apostolic fruitfulness is our own openness to the action of the Holy Spirit, which in turn brings into play Mary's maternity of graces and our union to her.

"What brings life and unity to all of this is the desire to give practical and concrete expression to our faith in the Holy Spirit. He inspires the New Evangelization which is demanded of us, and which originates in the mystery of Pentecost, lived in union with Mary, Mother of the Church at its birth.

"FIAT is not a movement; it is a pastoral service available to all Christians and especially to families, parishes and apostolic movements." (2b, p. 378)

THE ANNUNCIATION


(© Hanfstaengl. Munchen)

MEANING OF THE WORD "FIAT"

Literally, 'FIAT' is a Latin word for 'Let it be done'. These were Mary's words to the angel Gabriel when she was asked to become the mother of Jesus. 'Let it be done unto me according to Your Will'. It refers to Mary's 'Yes' to God.

Jesus lived a life of obedience to the Father. This was dramatically revealed in the agony in the Garden when He said, 'Not my will but thine be done'.

To live 'FIAT' with others within the Church is to live in spiritual communion with Jesus, Mary, and all the angels and saints in heaven.

PURPOSE OF FIAT

Veronica O'Brien goes right to the point when she answered this question in the F.I.A.T. Newsletter (February 1991):

"In my heart, I could hear only one word: the word love.

"The ultimate goal of F.I.A.T. is love - to be love, to make love known, to accept being loved. God's plan is love; God himself is nothing but love.

"We must never dissociate nature from grace. Look at a small child, only few weeks old; he watches his mother and smiles at the sound of her voice. He is already expressing joy and love. Every human being dreams of loving and being loved.

"We must love those around us, in obedience to the greatest command of all: 'Love one another, as I have loved you.' And then we will experience in our hearts a growing joy. Jesus said to us, 'If you follow me, I shall give you joy that no one can ever take from you.' This word of the Lord is true, and we can experience its truth every day.

"All of creation was created for joy, for love.

"But at the beginning, all of this love was distorted by sin, and today, because the word love has become synonymous with sin, this dream of authentic love is possible only if we allow God's love to live in us. This means that we must struggle against the caricatures of love which Satan spreads throughout the world; we must reinstate the true meaning of love, and teach others what love means. Let us do all we can to make love known.

"F.I.A.T.'s vocation is to make love known; this means to be capable of loving as God himself loves, with all that this implies. We must teach everyone to be God's lovers.

"F.I.A.T.'s battle cry is LOVE." (2a, p. 284-5) FIAT SPIRITUALITY

FIAT is living one's faith commitment.

The twofold vocation of Mary is the key to understanding FIAT Spirituality. Mary was called to accept Jesus into her heart, mind and body, and then to give Him to the world.

Like Mary, we become carriers of Christ by surrending to God's will in our lives. Jesus living in us brings salvation and healing wherever we carry Him.