Jubilee Joy!

Last Sunday we celebrated the 50th jubilee of one of our sisters. It was a joyous occasion with community, family and friends gathered to honor Sister Helen.
Sister Helen is a farm girl from Seneca, Kan., and still enjoys working in the garden and mowing grass. For 50 years she has been faithful to her vows of stability, conversion of life, and obedience. Moreover, God has been faithful to her, gifting her with many graces and blessings.

Sister Helen was part of Covenant Monastery in Harlan, Iowa, for a number of years, hoping to start a new foundation there. When it did not materialize, she returned to her community in Atchison, Kan. I'm sure it was disappointing, but she accepted it as God's will and adapted to the change of plans. 

Looking back over a half century, there must have been many challenges and disappointments as well as many blessings and good times. They have all contributed to a full life of dedication to God and God's people. We are grateful for her example of fidelity and her willingness to be part of our lives. 

We joyfully sang with her at the celebration:

I will celebrate your love, O Lord, forever.
Age on age, my words proclaim your love.
For I claim that love is built to last forever,
founded firm your faithfulness.  


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
  Limping to God I come to you, God, weather-beaten and limping, asking for forgiveness for all the times I have failed to be faithful and attentive to all those around me, especially the elderly who have run the race, the poor, the lonely and abandoned, who need my care and concern.     Is there any hope for these old bones? What will it take to change my limp into a surge of energy and a ready step? Teach me to become more caring, more responsive, more aware. Give me eyes to see and the will to act on my good intentions.   Water my dried up spirit and shriveled body, expand my shrunken heart. Give me eyes to see what you are leading me to do even as my bones creak and my legs become unsteady. Make me remember that I am here to serve, to listen, to be ready to be your hands and feet today.   Barbara Mayer, OSB    
Read more
Image
  Inspired by Scholastica Learning from Grief When I read the news headlines today (and most days), I felt overwhelmed with sadness. Most of the news was about shootings, injustices, tragedies, and murders. I wanted to ignore the grief, to put it out of my mind.   But Richard Rohr, a Catholic author, says we need to feel the grief because it has a lot to teach us. It seems the writers of the Psalms knew this. Of the 150 psalms, a third are about grief.   The psalmists grieved being overcome by enemies, losing loved ones, leaving their land, suffering illness, and more. The psalms of lament teach us that there is value in God-oriented exasperation. The psalmists always seemed to know God was with them and would help them survive. Our tears and sorrow are signs of our humanity. Lament is a very deeply spiritual practice. It is important to take time to grieve and to heal from our losses. One author called lament a ritual of cleansing and preparation for what is yet ...
Read more
Image
  Inspired by Scholastica     A Tree’s Lament The fierce winds blew whipping my branches, stripping my leaves. Then I felt a painful crack down my right side ripping open a limb, crippling my strength.   I feared the storm’s wildness raging on-- would it end my life on this peaceful green spot overlooking the graves of women long passed, with old majestic buildings looming behind me?   It holds so many memories of flowing robes and veils, women who devoted their lives to prayer and teaching and serving others.   Maybe my broken wound will heal and not be deadly. Hopefully they will not chop me down completely, let me live a little longer to provide shade and beauty for my monastery home.   Barbara Mayer, OSB              
Read more