LISTENING

Today's Gospel tells about the Transfiguration of Jesus while he was on the mountain with three of his disciples. While Jesus was conversing with Moses and Elijah, the disciples heard a voice from heaven saying, "This is my chosen Son, listen to him".

Here we are beginning the second week of Lent. How are you doing with the ways in which you planned to observe Lent this year? Listening better in prayer is one thing I am trying to do this year. First of all it takes quiet and time. The quiet is easy. For me it is making the time that is a little more difficult. However, I'm working on it. Listening takes patience, faith, and an open heart. Sometimes, God doesn't speak as quickly I would like. I know the importance of waiting and staying focused in prayer. My spiritual director has said that whenever I am ready to give up, give a little more time and see what happens. Sometimes it is in those last few minutes, that I hear what I have been waiting for. I shared with my prayer group that a couple of years ago when I was on retreat, I was telling the director all the things I prayed and said to God. She asked me what his response was. I said I did not listen. I spent the whole retreat sitting still and listening.

Henry Nouwen says that when we are anxious, tense, or worried our anxiety does not allow us any space to listen. We cannot receive the voice of God. We need to create the space to listen so that we can hear the voice of God call us, "beloved". I hope you can make the time to sit still during this Lenten season to listen. I will continue to work at making time. Let us keep each other in prayer.

Oh, by the way, March 1st is my eighteenth anniversary in community. I am excited by that. Please pray a prayer of gratitude to God for calling me to this vocation. Thanks.

Congregational Retreat

I just realized that I did not blog last week! I do not have access to a computer at my mother's home, so it never occurred to me. I was at my home parish, St. Joseph, in Sharon, PA last weekend for the kick-off of their celebrating the 150th year of the parish. I gave a brief talk on some of the virtues of Saint Joseph and how they relate to us as Sisters of Saint Joseph.

This past weekend, our congregation participated in a Graced History Retreat. We began Friday evening reflecting on our personal light history. Our communal light history, our personal and communal shadow history were the areas we spent time with on Saturday. Then on Sunday we reflected on our personal and communal hope. Different sisters gave a reflection for each of the different areas. After each one, there was time for quiet reflection, then sharing in small groups. The beautiful prayers that began each session and our Sunday liturgy added to the sacredness of the retreat.

We are truly blessed to have occasions like these when we come together as a community to pray, reflect, and share. We share our gifts and talents, and recognize those of others. It is a time to hold one another in prayer and receive the graces God desires for each of us. It was a wonderful opportunity to forget the ordinary, hectic schedules, in which we are often involved, to be quiet. I was so aware of the respect for one another by everyone participating in staying as quiet as each person was able. I am truly grateful to have had this opportunity, and I am also grateful and happy to belong to this congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Northwestern Pennsylvania.

World Day for Consecrated Life

This Sunday's readings focused on call, especially the call of Peter in the Gospel. Peter did not know what he was getting into at first. He stumbled along and said some foolish things. Yet, he was called and chosen to lead the disciples and became a wonderful example for all of us who struggle to do and say the right thing. At a homily I heard today, the priest said that whenever God calls he also blesses. Also, at my prayer group on Tuesday, the reflection stated that God calls the unqualified and qualifies those he calls.

God calls each of us differently. My call story is very different from other call stories that I have heard throughout the years. I have always found it interesting to hear how another sister felt called to religious life.

The call to live the Consecrated Life is one of the vocations that both women and men respond to by living the evangelical vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. They serve in parishes, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, social agencies, missions, and anywhere else there is a need. They do what they do for the love of God and others. Each community of men and women have their own charism or uniqueness that give them their sense of mission and purpose for existing.

Today is World Day for Consecrated Life. Pray for these men and women. Pray also for an increase in vocations to religious life.

If you have been thinking of a religious vocation, or have questions you would like to ask, e-mail me at s.lfusco@ssjerie.org.