One of the questions I am often asked, or more often see unasked in the eyes of family and friends is this: "Are you sure you want to become a Sister? Is religious life going to last? Will you end up all alone? Will you be the last to turn out the lights? How can you commit to something with such an unknown future?" These are questions I have reflected on and will continue to do so I suspect between now and … well … forever. There is no "one" answer. But the answers I have found are that I trust that God has a plan. And no, I honestly don't believe I'll be the last to turn out the lights. But we will probably have to experiment with different types of light bulbs that allow us to continue to spread the light of Christ with less people power. Think of it as a kind of energy efficiency in a future of fewer numbers.
Saturday morning our community lost our longest lived Sister. When she breathed her last yesterday, Sr. Margaret Wood was 104 (and a half). I never had the opportunity to meet her, but I feel as if I know her. I have heard many stories and will hear many more over the coming days I am sure. Which points out one of the mysteries of religious life that I am just starting to understand. It is not just that we remember and walk in the footsteps of our founders and former members. They continue to walk with us - in our memories and in the legacy of their ministries yes, but also in prayer and spirit and a real presence. This will be a key formula to the "energy efficient light bulbs" of the future of religious life.
Another will be collaboration with lay people. Saturday morning I was blessed to participate in our joint formation program for candidates for vowed membership (like myself) and men and women who are candidates to be Associates of the Sisters of St Joseph of Peace. We gathered with our Sister mentors to talk about finding God in/bringing God to our workplaces. A good discussion, made all the better by the joy and breadth of experience these people bring to the community. They are drawn to the charism, spirituality and mission of the Sisters, and want to make a more formal relationship with the community. They are a true gift, and I love how this community truly considers them members, albeit of a different form that vowed membership. This is part of the future as well I think, and gives me great hope.
There you have it - rambling thoughts from my continuing discernment.
I also have a funny story I've been meaning to share. It has 2 parts. A few months ago, after the news "broke" at my parish that I was joining the community, I was at the parish office facing the receptionist. An older parishioner came in and said "Well, hello Sister." I assumed Sr. Pat or Sr. Sharon or one of our other parishioner/Sisters was around. But no, he was talking to me!
Well, Thursday morning I was able to go to daily mass at my parish. We gather in the small chapel for daily mass. Before the liturgy started, I was sitting with my eyes closed praying. A different older parishioner across the way said, in my general direction "Sister, would you like to do the reading." My immediate reaction was to open my eyes as I thought she meant me! She in fact meant Sr. Katherine who was sitting next to me.
I find it quite interesting, the change that is happening, slowly, as I grow into this path before me. So maybe by the time I'm actually being called "Sister" on a regular basis, I'll be prepared for it and won't look around to see who they are addressing!
Ok, rambling over. For now anyway!
4 comments:
This is going to sound very odd, but for the moment I think it fits.
Becoming a sister is like getting a tattoo. You commit to it - and then it's forever. Theoretically you could quit, or get the tattoo removed, but it's already such a part of you it would be a very painful thing and you'd never be the same.
You really need to think before you do either one. I see people with tatts and wonder why they chose to have it done, and why on whatever part of their bodies. Did they think of themselves in fifty years, and how their taste or bodies would change?
Fortunately, you just don't walk to a convent and say, 'I want to join up.' If only people put as much thought into their tattoos/marriages/life decisions as you did becoming a sister. And yes, sometimes there are no definite answers. That's when you go on faith, and do the best you can.
Ditto on the thanks for sharing these insights, Susan.
Hmmmm .... Lorem has me thinking .... maybe a Benedictine cross on my shoulder .... :-)
For what it's worth, I STILL don't always remember the "Sister" when I'm officially introducing myself to people -- and I've been in over three years now! Of course, Sister Stephanie is a bit of a challenge for me to spit out, what with all those S's and such ...
loved this ramble :)
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