One of the yearly landmarks in the monastery is the great day of Job Changes!! This telling moment takes place early in the year after some serious efforts are made to get one’s ‘charges’ in order for the next Sister designated to that particular job. New assignments can be thrilling for some – the refectorian may be ecstatic to trade in setting tables every day for baking bread … or the laundry sister may happily exchange folding towels for dicing peaches in the canning room. Come what may, whether it’s continuing on in the same tasks, or being challenged with a whole new set of responsibilities, there is always something new to be learned and grace to carry on! There are of course supremely important things that do not change in the daily patterns of our day. Mass, adoration, spiritual reading – all these ‘activities’ are primary, and they are where one’s ‘learning experiences’ all begin.
St. Thomas Aquinas, whose feast is today (the 28th!) is someone with incredible mental genius. This ability, surrendered to God in prayer and study, became a fantastic source of wisdom for the whole Church. His knowledge and insight seemingly spanning theology, has put into words and into beautiful hymns and prayers what the faithful have always believed. Though his intelligence may seem so far superior, one can, like him, come to know ‘the height and the length and the breadth of God’s love’ – these things he learned from the Crucified One. To study in search of the Truth Himself gradually opens the heart and mind more and more to realize as St. Thomas did, the greatness and the goodness of God. The more one comes to know about Him, the more it all comes clear (as it says in the book of Sirach) that: “The sum of all our words is: He is all.”
St. Thomas Aquinas : Short Prayer After Communion Sweetest Jesus, Body and Blood most holy, be the delight and pleasure of my soul, my strength and salvation in all temptations, my joy and peace in every trial, my light and guide in every word and deed, and my final protection in death. Amen.
One of the yearly landmarks in the monastery is the great day of Job Changes!! This telling moment takes place early in the year after some serious efforts are made to get one’s ‘charges’ in order for the next Sister designated to that particular job. New assignments can be thrilling for some – the refectorian may be ecstatic to trade in setting tables every day for baking bread … or the laundry sister may happily exchange folding towels for dicing peaches in the canning room. Come what may, whether it’s continuing on in the same tasks, or being challenged with a whole new set of responsibilities, there is always something new to be learned and grace to carry on!
6 comments:
Very well written and all of us can relate to the hesitancy of changes. Thanks for sharing of your life.
I commend you for your contemplative life. Pray for all my intentions, the church, our priests, nation, the poor, do you not think there are many signs that we are headed for serious winnowing? I fear for our church, with the scandals, the many signs of nature, that evil and sin are - well we have got to focus on praising the Lord, seeking His Will and doing it. I think it was Jan. 20th that someone mentioned something about vocations, or perhaps it was in this blog. Let us pray that we all find our vocations, I am a single woman who lives alone trying to be a Christian example to my nephews and nieces. Pray for all my intentions, I have a burden for gay people, praying for my family, the sorrowing and the dying. I need to be more concrete in my actions as to ministering to the poor (impoverished) in spirit, who need the body of Christ (the Eucharist and Church). Please pray.
Congratulations Sr. Mary John Paul on your vows.
In Canada it is the National Day for Consecrated Vocations!
I am so glad to discover this blog! I will share this will al of my facebook friends! So uplifting. Thank you Sister and Praise Him for your vocation.
Sr. Mary John Paul, congratulations on "trading the white for the black". Seriously, many prayers were sent up for your Profession Day. When do we get to see pictures?
Dear Sisters,
Thanks so much for sharing your lives with us. We love you and want to be apart of your lives in whatever way we can.
God Bless each of you! Please pray for me and I'll pray for your needs and more vocations to your community.
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