O Holy Night (And Gifts that are Given)

A friend of mine sent this to me.  It is one of my favorite songs, and I especially love when Sr. Suzanne Dauwalter sings it.  Sr. Suzanne is our Provincial Economer, and her voice is simply God’s gift.  She has never been trained, but her voice has the character and quality of these women, who have had years of training, I’m sure.  Sr. Suzanne will often sing at our events in the province.  She is usually very nervous before singing, and often downplays the great gift that has been given to her…but her willingness to share it and to sing for us and to praise God is always there.

As we come to the end of Advent, and the beginning of the amazing season of Christmas, I cannot help but thank God for His many gifts.  He is lavish in what He has given to me, and in what He has shared with others.  During this time, I hope that you will be able to sit and recognize His gifts to you, and to think about how you can use these gifts to further His glory and to help those around you.

This Christmas, on this “Holy Night,” think about these talents, these gifts, and give them back.  Share them with the people around you – your loved ones, friends, and neighbors.  You may think little of what you have received, but I can guarantee that what you share will benefit those who are recipients.

What one person can do…

There is a story I once read about a dove that was seated on a branch.  As he was seated there, he asked a nearby squirrel how many snowflakes the squirrel thought it would take to make the branch fall.  “How many have fallen thus far?” the squirrel asked. “One million, five hundred and thirty nine thousand, fourhundred and one,” the dove answered.  The squirrel asked the dove how many more he thought would be needed to bring down the branch, which was already sagging under the weight of the snow.  “I don’t know,” the dove answered, as the limb began was cracking and pulling from the trunk, “but JUST ONE more will certainly make the branch fall.”

Sometimes, we underestimate our own power.  Life is certainly easier if I don’t have to think about my contribution, or if I don’t have to think about the difference that I can make in a given situtation.  If, instead, people count on me, or if my contribution is essential, then I suddenly have a responsibility.  I can no longer be at peace, but must offer my small piece to the puzzle, because, regardless of how small it is, it CAN and DOES make a difference.  After seeing this video on the power of an individual, I feel called at a deeper level to realize my personal power:

We often doubt the importance of our contribution.  We wonder “Do I make a difference?”  After watching the film, you can see – it’s often ONE person who changes things – ONE person who makes the world move ahead…so, now, I ask you:

Changes…conversions…and a future Sister.

Here is an interesting news piece that a Salesian priest, Fr. Mike sent to me today…

Hollywood screenwriter returns to Cleveland, turns life over to GodCLEVELAND (CNS) — The Gospel of Luke’s prodigal son has nothing on Joe Eszterhas. A self-described “Hollywood animal,” Eszterhas is best known for writing such adult-themed thrillers as “Basic Instinct” and “Jagged Edge.” He is a guy who seemed to live his earlier life as if the seven deadly sins were a personal to-do list. But then Eszterhas found God. Or as Eszterhas writes in his latest memoir, “Crossbearer,” God found him. Today, the man who once was the center of attention at exclusive Hollywood restaurants, enjoys the easygoing community spirit of sharing a meal with his wife, Naomi, and the couple’s four sons at a Lenten fish fry at Holy Angels Parish, in suburban Bainbridge, where he often carries the cross at Mass. A screenwriter who describes his younger self as arrogant and full of hubris now reads the works of Trappist Father Thomas Merton and Dutch-born Father Henri Nouwen for spiritual guidance. Days that once started and ended with cigarettes and gin, now are filled with prayer and quiet walks in nature.

 

 

Now, without saying too much, let’s just say that every life has its times of conversion…and every person lives their “growing pains” in different ways, but I can relate to this change of heart.  God works in the life of each person.  And no, nuns are NOT born with veils on their heads and rosaries in their hands.  My favorite story is of a Sister who is a friend of mine who says before she entered, she was almost kicked out of a bar one night when she had had a few beers and began to dance on the table!

There are times when I wonder, “God, how can you do your work with such plain and simple instruments?” And then, like St. Paul, I realize that is JUST why He chose me – so that HIS work would be evident.  After all, what good could I potentially do?  So God is making His presence obvious by purposely choosing a weak instrument.  (I hope all those who wonder whether or not God is calling them to religious life reread and meditate on that sentence, because often we think we are not worthy, and we are not!)

Mother Teresa of Calcutta wanted to be a pencil in the hand of God.  There was an early Salesian who told Don Bosco he wanted to be like a handkerchief in his hands.  My hope is to be that available, to be that malleable, so that God can do all the good that is possible with this Kleenex!

Why?

There is a saying that says, ANYONE can do ANYTHING at ANYTIME as long as the person has a WHY and a FOR WHOM.  Right now, I’d like to talk about our WHY…

One of the things Don Bosco said was:

It is enough for me that you are young for me to love you.

In some ways, our why is the young – our why is the face of a needy young person we see.  Why would a young woman with a promising future, perhaps a good job, a healthy intelligence, perhaps good looks, or charisma, or great friendship, and perhaps even a deep love for  a man give all this up?  Why put aside wealth, learning, personal goals and ambitions?  Why give up a future, the possibility of regulating your own life and the potential to earn, and to decide one’s own fate?  The only reason is if there is a very good answer to WHY? or FOR WHOM?

You see, for the religious – our answer to WHY rests in WHAT we do – that is, our apostolate.  In other words, for a Salesian, the answer to WHY is because there are young people out there who have no one, who have no parents on whom they can rely, who have no stable point of reference for their life, who need someone to guide and encourage them in faith, who need someone to help them and believe in them and love them…that’s WHY!

So there you have it – we’d give anything for the young…even to giving our very lives!  On the day of my first profession, August 5, 1992, I offered Jesus my life, already giving Him my all for any young person I would ever encounter…and so, I give Him it again.  I publicly renew my dedication to Him for the young *my WHY*.

St. Teresa of Ávila

Today is a big day for the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.  We celebrate the feast of our patroness, St. Teresa of Ávila!  In particular, we turn to her to ask her intercession as we begin the novena which will prepare us for the election of our new Mother General.  Please join us in prayer.  You can say the prayer we have been saying to prepare for our whole General Chapter, or make one up yourself – here is our prayer:

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
you gave the world its true light, Jesus, your Son, the Son of God.
You abandoned yourself completely to God’s call
and thus became a wellspring of the goodness which flows forth from Him.
Show us Jesus, lead us to Him.
Help us to know and love Him,
so that we, too, can become capable of true love,
and be fountains of living water, in the midst of a thirsting world.
Amen.
(written by Pope Benedict XVI)

Besides preparing for our election on the 24th of this month, and beginning that novena, St. Teresa is special to the Salesian Sisters because she was a woman who really could read the signs of her times, and was able to hear God’s urgings.  Here are some of my favorite things she said or wrote:

Just as we cannot stop the movement of the heavens, revolving as they do with such speed, so we cannot restrain our thought.
Fourth Mansion – Ch. 1

 How true is this?  So often, we say, “Let’s quiet our minds and open ourselves to the presence of God.”  I think St. Teresa was in touch with the impossibility of quieting our thoughts, and she was able to realize that our minds are more like spectators, so when I hear this phrase, I like to picture myself sitting at the edge of a stream, as life moves on, to see God present – the water making the stream flow…

We cannot know whether we love God, although there may be strong reason for thinking so; but there can be no doubt about whether we love our neighbor or not. Be sure that, in proportion as you advance in fraternal charity, you are increasing your love of God.
Fifth Mansion Ch. III

 I can still hear Sr. Barbara Jane in the first grade saying “Actions speak louder than words.”  So true – let’s love one another , especially those it is most difficult to love, so our love for God will be EVIDENT!

Let nothing disturb thee; Let nothing dismay thee; All thing pass; God never changes. Patience attains All that it strives for. He who has God Finds he lacks nothing: God alone suffices.

 How true – in the end…for every religious, and for every human being, God alone must suffice, because He is our only and greatest prize.  What we often forget is that in searching for Him, we often go astray, thinking one thing or another will bring us true happiness, but we all know that the feeling of longing returns until we belong totally to Him and can be found only on Him – this, friends, is true happiness!  (And why I think some of the people I know who could absolutely LIGHT THE WORLD ON FIRE with their happiness belong totally to HIM!)

Welcome to the Family!

I celebrate with Our Lady of the Rosary today, as our Sisters welcome six new postulants.  These young women are an inspiration to so many others who are searching for God’s call, but perhaps fear answering Him.  I ask you to join me in praying for those who you see here ~ the brave souls who stood up and said, “I will see what it means to follow Christ more closely…” and also, I ask you to remember in your prayers those who are unsure or afraid.  Pray that they can have light and courage to clearly know God’s will and to follow it!

Postulants with Sisters

Sr. Patricia King, FMA

Let us pray for fidelity!

Janet read at the ceremony

Sr. Teresa Sironi, FMA

Sr. Joanne gives Alina her medal.

Brigette receives her medal.

Brittany’s medal is given

Guerline smiles as she receives her medal

Janet’s laugh at receiving her medal

Juliett kisses her medal before receiving it

Prayer and song together

Welcome, little Sisters

The formation group – minus six!

Formation group with Sisters

Postulants, first official step in the Institute!

Postulants again..

Welcoming New Life

…and the freedom of self-expression.

I belong to a religious Order that to put it mildly, is HUGE!  This brings me great joy, to know that our charism, and our love for youth is so contagious that it has been caught by all types of people all over the world.  In fact, we are in 91 nations.  According to our Constitutions, “Our Institute is a part of the Salesian Family, which, throughout history, lives in various ways, the life and mission of Don Bosco, thus expressing its perennial adaptability.”  (C3)  Well, certainly, this presence in so many countries and such a vast number of Sisters is telling.  Yes, Don Bosco’s mission and charism is alive and well, and adaptable to the third milennium!

Our more than 14,000 Sisters are broken up into different areas for organizational purposes.   We call these areas provinces.  I belong to the province of the Eastern US.  We are currently about 100 Sisters in this province.  In the past three years, we have seen many young women enter our formation program.  In fact, currently, we have:

Formation Group

 

2 Novices

6 Postulants

8 Aspirants

9 Women Applying

 

 

 

If you add these numbers, you come to 25, almost one fourth of the size of our province!  Of course, not all the young women stay – they are here to see if they like and can live our life.  But just the same, the numbers are astounding.   I am very excited about the prospects for our future! 

Yesterday, though, I saw a video that really made me think: “Will we be ready to welcome these new young people with their varying ideas and new ways to do things?  Will we be brave enough to be re-made into the community they and all young people are calling us to be?”  Take a look:

So pray for us – pray that we can be open to the future, open to all that the Lord and the young people of tomorrow are asking of us so we can be a “sign and expression of His love for the young.”