PRESENCE OF CHRIST

     Before Advent began, I prayed that I would be able to recognize the presence of Christ in others this year as well as being Christ's presence to others. Little did I know the way in which this would happen.
     On the first Sunday of Advent, my 57 year old brother-in-law, Ed, died of pneumonia after battling Leukemia for the past six months.  Needless to say this was devastating to my sister and the rest of my family members.  As soon as I got home, I went to my sister, Jackie, to be with her.  As she cried and talked about all that had been going on in the past week, I listened and tried to find the right words to say and to be strong to help her at this time.
      During the calling hours and the funeral I was amazed and grateful for all the ways Christ was present there.  First of all there were the sisters, staff, and maintenance people from Villa Maria, PA where Ed had worked for 20+ years.  Their presence and the stories they shared with us about Ed's teasing, hard work, humor, and what a good man he had been was wonderful to hear.
     Secondly, there were the neighbors, some who have known Ed since he was a boy and those who said they would miss seeing him on the tractor in the summer.  They also shared stories and offered their condolences to Jackie and her adult children.
     Next, was the pastor from Neshannock Presbyterian Church, who was constantly with Jackie and with Ed's mother at the hospital.  He gave a beautiful talk about Ed's life using all the information he gathered from Ed's mother, Jackie, and even from what Ed himself had told him before he became very sick. He showed me the Presence of Christ in his gentleness and compassion.
     Then, I saw the Presence of Christ in a little child.  My 10-year-old nephew, Brayden, was so attuned to what was happening.  Every time he saw a family member tearing up or cry, he would go to that person and put his arms around their waste.  I could not help but be comforted by his hug.
     Finally, the presence of Christ in my community of sisters who have been praying and listening, have helped me to be strong, yet be able to grieve.
     Christmas will be low-keyed for my family this year.  I know that the presence of Christ has been with me and will continue to be present to me and my family as we continue through this season and beyond.

NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY

The gospel passage from yesterday's reading comes from Mark 6:1-6 and is about Jesus going to his own town.  He began to teach in the synagogue.  At first the people were "astonished." However, their astonishment turned to resentment.  "And they took offense at him," the scripture states.  The people were sure they knew who Jesus was.  He was the son of Joseph, the carpenter, and Mary.  Who does he think he is?

I wonder if Jesus was looking forward to going to Nazareth to be with the people of the town in which he grew up, to be with friends, family, and former classmates, to do for them what he had been able to do in other places.  Perhaps he felt an anticipation and excitement to bring God's message and healing to the people he loved.

But the people did not accept him in this new role.  They may have thought, "What makes this carpenter's son think he can teach us anything." He was not taken seriously. Jesus did lay hands on some who would let him, and he healed a few who had faith enough.  Rejection from his own must have felt like a kick in the stomach, and he says, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house." Jesus must have felt sad as he might have shook the dust off his feet when leaving.

Has this ever happened to you?  You try to help someone close to you and they reject what you are doing.  They might have said, "You can't do that."  They think you are not good enough, smart enough, or capable enough.  No matter what you say or do to convince them your help isn't accepted, nor is it appreciated.  How did you feel?

Know that when you are experiencing these situations, or if you need healing from similar experiences, Jesus has been there also.  Sit with Jesus in prayer and hold the situation together.  Let Jesus give you new insight and help you bring closure to your sadness and healing to your heart.

A VIABLE LIFE

March 1, 2012 marked my twentieth anniversary in community.  I spent the night before and all that day at the CSJ Motherhouse in Baden, PA. 

During that time I reflected on my life in community so far.  I wrote a theological reflection of my journey using Moses and the Israelites as my scriptural reference.  I expressed my joy and excitement of reaching this milestone in a letter I wrote to our foundress, Mother St. John Fontbonne; and I wrote my own version of St. Augustine's Late Have I Loved you.

As I continue to reflect on these twenty years, I remember that feeling of total peace when I finally made the decision to enter a religious community.  I recall how everything in my life fell into place and how natural it felt to enter.  I have made many important decisions in my life, however I have never been so sure of anything as I am about being a Sister of St. Joseph. 

All this reflecting leads me to say that although I know I could have continued being an accounting clerk and still live a good life, or I could have gone into teaching (which is what I do now) without becoming an SSJ, and knowing what other ministries our sisters are active in, I am sure that religious life is a viable life for any woman willing to follow Christ as a woman religious. 

As vocation director, I pray constantly for women to recognize God's call and to be open to respond to that call.  If you think you have a vocation to religious life, contact me at s.lfusco@ssjerie.org.

LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY

Last week while our diocesan priests were at their annual gathering, I was asked to give a reflection for one of the Communion Services at our Community Living Center.  The gospel that day was Jesus teaching the Our Father to the disciples.  "Lord, teach us to pray," they asked.

Who taught you to pray?  Was it your mother, father, or grandmother?  What was the first prayer you learned?  As I reflected on that line in the gospel, three points that stand out is my childhood prayer, when I really learned how to pray, and how I continue to pray.

The Our Father is a prayer full of praise and petitions.  We praise God in the first part.  In the second part we petition God for what we need each day, for forgiveness, to forgive others, and to be strong when tempted.  First, I remembered the first prayer that my mother taught me, the prayer, "Now I lay me down to sleep..."  Later, when I went to school, it was the Sisters of Charity who taught me the rote prayers at Catechism classes.  That was the only way I knew to pray for many years.

Secondly, it wasn't until my late 20's that I really learned to pray.  It was Madeleine Hahn, RSM who introduced me to books that explained how to pray, and by attending prayer and scripture study at Dwelling Place in Sharon I began to experience different prayer styles and kinds of prayer that would lead me to a relationship with God that I never knew was possible.

Thirdly, eleven years ago at my thirty-day retreat, I learned the Ignation Examen of Consciousness.  I have been praying my examen every evening since. What I like is that I journal my examen; and by doing so, I praise God, thank God, and petition God.  Each sunday I review my journal and look for the graces that God has given me during the week and on the next clean page I gather the graces, a habit I learned on retreat.  Gathering the graces leads me to more prayer of praise and thanksgiving to God.

"Lord, teach us to pray."

Who taught you how to pray?