More on Solitude

In my last posting I wrote about taking time for quiet and quoted a section from the book, "Gifts From the Sea" by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. A few pages later, she talks about how taking time for quiet reflection is helpful preparation to attend mass. Here is what she says.

"The church is still a great centering force for men and women, more needed than ever before...But are those who attend as ready to give themselves to receive its message as they used to be? Our daily life does not prepare us for contemplation. How can a single weekly hour of church, helpful as it may be, counteract the many daily hours of distraction that surround it? If we had our contemplative hour at home we might be readier to give ourselves at church and find ourselves more completely renewed."

Have you ever been distracted by all the things you need to do while you are sitting at mass? If you do, you are not alone. I find it helpful to look at the readings for Sunday ahead of time, so that I feel a little more prepared when I go to mass. It also helps me to stay focused because I want to hear what the pastor says about the readings during his homily.

During these past two months our sisters have been coming and going to and from retreat. We have also had other people, not from our community, at our Community Living Center making retreat. We know how important it is for us to make retreat not only for our relationship with Christ, but also to strengthen us to continue serving the people to whom we minister. I know that many people do not have the opportunity to be able to make retreats yearly. However, perhaps the opportunity is there for an hour each day, or one day here and there during the year to spend some quiet, reflective time.

BALANCE

The Gospel reading for yesterday was the passage of Jesus' visit to the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus in Bethany. We heard about Martha's busyness in preparing the meal and how Jesus told her she is "anxious about many things." We also heard how Mary sat at the feet of Jesus to listen to his teaching. Which one can you identify with?

In his homily yesterday our chaplain for our Community Living Center preached about balance. During the day, I picked up the book, "Gift From the Sea" by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. I had read this book many years ago and thought I would see what it may have for me to reflect on now. She describes what a woman's life is like with distractions always present. She wrote, "For to be a woman is to have interests and duties, raying out in all directions from the central mother-core, like spokes from the hub of a wheel. The pattern of our lives is essentially circular. We must be open to all points of the compass; husband, children, friends, home, community; stretched out, exposed, sensitive like a spider's web to each breeze that blows, to each call that comes. How difficult for us, then, to achieve a balance in the midst of these contradictory tensions, and yet how necessary for the proper functioning of our lives."

I find this to be an excellent description of how many of our lives look. We are pulled in many directions. I especially like the image of the hub and spokes of a wheel. It might be interesting to take some time to draw this image and name the spokes of our busyness.

The author continues to talk about getting rid of distractions and what different kinds of seashells teach her throughout the book. Although published in 1955, I think it has a lot of wisdom for us today. As I continue to read and pray with this book, I hope I will be able to share with you more thoughts and reflections.

VOCATION DIRECTORS

Vocation Directors are the first people contacted by someone who is interested in entering a religious community. They are the "gate keepers" of the congregation. It is a very serious position. There is much screening, meeting, testing that needs to be done with the applicant. The Vocation Director needs to know about the congregation's mission, ministry, spirituality, and history.

In addition to the many duties that need to be done is the attitude of the Vocation Director. This person has to have a big heart. The heart of a Vocation Director is filled with joy, faith, love for God and her/his congregation, passion, and most of all hope.

Why do I think hope is so important? Hope along with faith is what the Vocation Director needs to continue praying and working in this ministry. They pray daily to the Holy Spirit that more young men and women will respond to God's call to follow as a woman religious or brother. They know that there are people out there who are searching. They try to find ways to help these people to find what they are looking for in terms of spiritual direction, discernment, communities. Hope keeps them passionate about who they are and what they are doing. When I attended a week-long orientation for Vocation Directors, we were told that many sisters or brothers who leave community are former Vocation Directors. They left because they no longer had hope.

Let me tell you about a little group of Vocation Directors who meet monthly in our diocese. One is a Sister of Mercy. Another is a Sister of Saint Benedict. Then there is the Vicar of Religious for our diocese and myself who are Sisters of Saint Joseph. Each month we get together to pray, talk and plan how to make people aware of who we are. We also have put together a booklet of speakers available to talk on vocations or religious life. We have a website for vocations. We have been working on an idea to have articles in one of our diocesan publications. We view dvd's that are put out. We have planned Holy Hours for vocations along with the Serrans. None of us have crowds of women entering, however our hope keeps us on task.

So, while you are praying for vocations to the priesthood or religious life, remember to pray a little prayer for Vocation Directors. By the way, don't worry, I'm not leaving.

A QUOTE TO THINK ABOUT

I saw this quote when recently visiting one of our sisters.

"God loves each of us as if there were only one of us."
St. Augustine

LOVE AS GOD LOVES

Yesterday I was taking some time for prayer out on Presque Isle. It was a beautiful, sunny day, warm temperature, and a cool breeze. I found a quiet spot away from the families on the beach. I reflected on the line from Jeremiah, "I have loved you with an everlasting love."

The first part of my reflection was focused on how much I am loved by God and will always be loved by God. That was easy. Then my thoughts went to the gospel reading for next Sunday about the Good Samaritan.

I don't need to go through the whole story. Jesus wanted to get across to "...love your neighbor as yourself." However, my reflection invited me to love my neighbor as God loves me. Wow! God's love is everlasting and God loves us beyond what we could ever ask or imagine. Can I love like that? Can you love like that?

I think it is important for us to keep our humanity in perspective. God never asks more of us than we can handle. Therefore, we can only love to the best of our ability. It can begin with those with whom we live and work. Sometimes, they do not get the love we have. We need to reach out to those outside who are less fortunate; the poor, the hungry, the homeless, the marginalized, etc. Jesus said that as often as we do unto one of his least people, we do it unto him. That is loving God and neighbor. There are so many good people doing many good works, but as St. Paul says, if you have not love, you gain nothing.

There are many places in scripture where we can learn about love. As we do so, we can pray for the grace to have a heart that is open and compassionate.

FOLLOWING CHRIST

The readings for this Sunday are about following. In the first reading Elisha was called to follow Elijah, and in the gospel Jesus called others to follow him. In both readings, those called said they wanted to do something first, then they would follow.

Their response is typical of human nature. Do we really want to follow Christ? Think of your own call. Did you respond with an enthusiastic yes? Were you hesitant?

Following Christ is a radical response to His call. It will not always be easy. Some days we will be broken. However, the love of Christ will lift us up, keep us going and give us whatever grace we need to continue following Him.

Over the years, sisters have shared their call story with me. It is wonderful to listen to how each person knew she was being called to religious life. I enjoy sharing my own call story. It is very different from most of the sisters as I entered community later in life.

By the way, everyone is called to follow Christ. Priests and religious do so in one way. Married couples and single men and women do so in another way. In whatever way you are called to follow Christ, do so with focus, love, and generosity.

PERSEVERANCE

I read an interesting article this morning. The author talked about how people do not persevere in the commitments they make. He focused on marriage, religious vows, and commitment of priests. He made his readers aware of how easy it is for people to give up on to what they vow or commit. Married couples easily choose divorce or annulment rather than going to a marriage counselor or first trying to work things out. Priests and religious leave their communites or the priesthood.

The author stated that people need to quit questioning their choice of commitment or vows. Once the choice is made, don't look back instead persevere ahead. When I entered the noviate, I remember some of the sisters saying to me, "Grace and perseverance." At first I did not understand, however, it soon became clear what they meant. As I struggled through some times during my formation years, it was perseverance that kept me choosing the process. It is perseverance that continues to get me through days when I am not at my best. God gives me the grace I need each time I say, "Yes."

Many of you have seen the article in the Erie Times these past three weeks focusing on religious life. By choosing to live this life, we choose to love differently. Our love is not given to one person, but poured out all those to whom we minister. For us SSJ's we move "always toward profound love of God and neighbor without distinction."

Another point I want to make is that none of us are doing good works in isolation. No matter what ministry we are in, we have the support of the whole community. That makes a difference. We have each other to share our lives and our ministries with.

I don't look back and wonder if I have done the right thing. Instead I look to today to be the best I can, and I look to the future to how I can live this life more fully.