Be attentive, be aware, listen

"Speak Lord, your servant is listening."

This week is Vocation Awareness Week and I had the opportunity to visit with my sisters in community in Kansas.  Besides being in Kansas for the first time, which was thrilling enough, I was warmly greeted and welcomed by students at Bishop Miege Catholic High School on Tuesday. 

The schedule for the day allowed me to speak in all the Junior and Senior Theology classes and a few underclass groups.  I enjoyed sharing my story and encouraging them to give as much prayer and energy to choosing their vocation as they are their career.  They were very attentive and seem to understand why an awareness of a vocation is important. It was quite an enjoyable and exhausting day of interacting with twelve classes. 

In the last Senior class, I made a comment about, " I stand before you today to assure you that the vocation to be a consecrated religious woman in the Church today is fulfilling."  One of the Senior guys raised his hands and asked, " Sister Martha, are you happy?"  I said, "Yes, I really am!"  At that point he gave me the greatest compliment!  " It shows!  You look very happy and joyful!  Do you think all sisters are joyful?"   I found that to be an interesting comment and question.  In fact, in several of my presentations I had mentioned that it was the joy that I witnessed when I visited the Ursuline Sisters that stood out for me, and I wanted what they had--joy!

Through that young man's observation I was affirmed once again to joyful live my call to be Ursuline. Perhaps that was the great vocation effort I have done all year. Speak Lord for I am listening.   Once again I am reminded that God often speaks through our experiences and through others. 

The greatest vocation effort -- radiate your love for your call and joy wherever you are!  

The start of something BIG

FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD; NATIONAL VOCATION AWARENESS WEEK BEGINS

“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing.”

When Jesus presented himself for baptism, the stakes got higher: He saw the heavens open and heard a voice proclaim him the beloved Son of God. His public ministry began immediately afterward. The sacrament of Baptism also calls the followers of Christ to something big: service. Today begins National Vocation Awareness Week, a time to think about how you will live out your call to greatness—in your chosen vocation or in the vocation you are still contemplating. By your baptism you were anointed with the Holy Spirit, which gives you the power to act with justice and compassion in service to all.  It is a good time to reflect on your life of servive.  Are you happy giving of yourself in your present situation?  Is there a nudge to do something more that allows you to share your gifts for the good of others or for something greather than yourself? 

This week I am in Kansas and have the marvelous opportunity to share my life as an Ursuline Sister of Mount Saint Joseph with the young people here.  Today I will be talking with fifth and sixth graders at Saint John the Evangelist Catholic School in Lawrence,  Kansas.   What a joy to be among such enthused youth.  It also gives me an opportunity to express my gratitude for the call to live out my baptismal call in as a consecrated woman religious and share prayer, service, ministry and community life with such dedicated and gifted women with whom I had the pleasure of praying and socializing this past weekend-- Ursuline Sisters Kathleen, Helen, Marcella, Martina, Jane, Dee, Pat, Amelia, Angela, and Betsy.  Thank each of your for your warm welcome and witness of your own call to Ursuline life! 

TODAY’S READINGS: Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 or 55:1-11; Acts 10:34-38 or 1 John 5:1-9; Mark 1:7-11 (21)

LADY SOLITUDE

During the recent holidays, when I was not distracted by hurrying off to the office, I made my peace with the reality of solitude / loneliness. Not the crushing loneliness of many in The City--that real loneliness of no personal ties, no one who cares about them (I can't even imagine how that feels). Mother Teresa of Calcutta said that the most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved. I'm only a subway ride away from friends here in New York, only a phone call or a plane ride away from friends elsewhere, and as close to my religious community as tuning into the "prayer wavelength" where I know I am remembered. The card shower from my sisters that welcomed me to New York assured me of that! Yet...

Entering into the house of Lady Solitude, I recognize it as a place of growth for my extroverted "Type Seven" self. Yet...(like Scrooge perhaps) I wonder what this Visitor has to say to me, how it will be, and how I must change.

But I can already see how--after a day of global concerns and computer frustrations and steep learning curves--my little cave on the 10th floor will be a healing refuge. I think of those who have to share the same amount of space with eight others, or the mother who has no time alone for herself, or for the homeless man I saw sleeping in a doorway outside church today, and feel grateful for this chance to come to know Lady Solitude.

Stewardship for seasoned leadership

FEAST OF JOHN NEUMANN, BISHOP


“You will see greater things than this.”


There’s a time to build and a time to tear down, the Book of Ecclesiastes says.  Today as we recall the gift that John Neumann shared in his life and ministry provides an opportunity to pause and examine how we are stewarding our gifts for the good of others.  I am sure you, like me, have been trying to stick to some new year's resolutions.  Stewardship is a worthy resolve. Bishop John Neumann led the diocese of Philadelphia in the 1850s, a time of explosive growth in the immigrant Catholic population in the U.S. Under his leadership the number of Catholic schools increased from 1 to 200 and on average a new parish opened every month! We live in another era, one in which Catholic schools and parishes are being consolidated, closed, or otherwise changed in many parts of the nation. Each age calls for different gifts but good stewardship is never out of season. Pray that church leaders will be good and faithful stewards of the great legacy entrusted to their care.

ONE IN MISSION

Getting my "missioning" letter from the motherhouse meant even more to me than usual this time. I have read it every day and hope to make a habit of that, to keep fresh in my mind what I am doing here in The City, far from the green fields of Kentucky.

"As community we are one in mission and ministry; the power of the entire community united in the Lord is present in the ministry of each member...together we stand with Jesus before (God) saying, "Here I am, Lord, send me." (from our Ursuline Way of Life)

I have felt so connected to community since coming here, in an even more powerful way, as my sisters and our associates reached out to me with a Christmas card "shower" and with many prayers and good wishes for this new ministry at the United Nations. In turn, I feel the real responsibility of representing them here, of being their face in this new work.

In the words of the missioning letter, I pledge to them to "witness to the joy and the challenge of the Gospel through (my) life of prayer, service, empowerment, justice, and contemplative presence, in the spirit of Angela Merici." And they must keep their promise to me of supportive prayer!

Ponder the face of God

The good news of Christmas is that God has become one of us in a little innocent baby.  Everyone delights in the face of a baby.   I am the proud great aunt of an great nephew, Robert Scott, who was born on December 5.  His innocent, tiny features captured my attention and I was momentarily caught up in the miracle of life once again.  The many years of awaiting a child in my niece's life awakened me to the treasure and miracle of giving birth to one's own son.   As I witness the mother and father gaze so lovingly and proudly upon the miracle of their love for each other, I find myself pondering also the miracle of the face of God in the Christ Child. 

The revelation of God comes to us in the face of an infant child.  The simple yet powerful source of peace, purity, and goodness.  This  awareness is also a recognition that in our human quest for God, God looks upon us with love.  In the face of God, in the look of God, being seen by God, we truly come to know peace.  On the upcoming celebration of Mary, Mother of God, how divine the vision of Mary holding the divine child in her arms.  May each of us always treasure the look of God in the face of those who love us and whom we love.  This is truly a mirror of God manifesting love and peace to our soul.  May you be graced as you ponder the birth of God into our world. Savor and ponder the face of God in numerous and sacred moments of this Christmas season.

Let your life witness

“For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”

Today our diocese celebrates our patron saint,  Saint Stephen, deacon and martyr. Saint Stephen pray for us and intercede blessings upon our local church and the restoration and renewal of our Cathedral church building...

What does it mean to be a martyr? Does it mean to be like Saint Stephen, willing to give my very life for what I believe?  That is definitely one way, but not necessarily the only way.  The root of martyr is “witness,” and there are many ways I am called to witness. These can be familiar but they are no less courageous than the path Stephen took. Being a good friend, a loving sister or brother, honest in  ministry and work, compassionate—these are powerful forms of drawing others to the message of the Gospel and being Christ bearers attesting to the Good News. How will you testify to the gospel with your life today? On this second day of Christmas let us pray for a spirit of courage for that witness not only in words but with our lives.