New Year's Resolution: Let Them Go

    How often we hold onto things in our lives.  Have you ever witnessed this kind of incident (or been a part of it)?  A child is holding onto something they shouldn’t, and an adult is trying to get the child to give it up.  The child rarely gives it up without a fight, probably with some tears, but finally the adult’s coaxing and/or strong fingers pries open the tiny fist and removes the object from the child’s grasp.
    How applicable is that to our spiritual lives?
    I’m not just talking about the material things in our life, for this post I’m focusing on people in our lives.  A lot of confusion and hurt can result from us clinging desperately onto different people in our lives.  I’ve been noticing this in certain relationships I call the “security blanket relationships”.  Security blanket relationships are relationships (friendship or romantic) we hold onto in our lives out of fear that can keep us from loving others and most especially Christ with our full heart.  Many times these relationships are ones that are not even grounded in reality, the ones that lead us into the torturous Land of What-Ifs.  Be it past relationships or relationships that you long for, when we hold onto these relationships such that we are pulled from Christ, that is the time when we must let them go.
    It is not the desire to be loved or even the people themselves that are bad.  The problem is when we allow these relationships, whether actual or desired, to fill our fists and make it more difficult to embrace Christ.  By letting go of one of these relationships, I mean that we give them up to Christ and allow Him to fill us instead and heal our hearts.  Sometimes we hold onto these relationships and we’re not really sure why.  I think it’s because we tend to view it subconsciously as a sort of identity, something to hold onto to keep us safe and still. 
    Do you remember when you were first learning to swim?  The moments of panic when you found yourself suddenly without any support and the violent blind thrashing of limbs as you tried desperately to cling to something- anything- to keep yourself from drowning (even if the swim instructor was right beside you or if you had a life vest)?  This perfectly human reaction is what keeps us tied to these phantom relationships, this fear of the unknown, of how we will identify ourselves, of how we will occupy our thoughts.
Let them go.   
    Unclench the fist and relinquish it to Christ.  If it is a past relationship, learn from it but don’t let it keep you from loving others.  If it is a potential relationship that is consuming you or causing you grief, let the Holy Spirit take a look at it.  Release it into His care and let Him lead you in your future actions.  Root your identity in Christ, without clinging to other relationships.  They don’t define you.  Please do not be afraid to let go!  There’s a quote by Patrick Overton that says, “When you come to the edge of all the light that you have, and must take a step into the darkness of the unknown, believe that one of two things will happen.  Either there will be something solid for you to stand on- or you will be taught how to fly.”
    Angela Thomas says in A Beautiful Offering, “"When a woman has a kingdom heart, she has an active understanding of what matters most to the heart of God. She lives in the balance of passion and contentment. She learns to love well, give without regard to self, and forgive without hesitation. The woman with a kingdom heart may have a duffel bag full of possessions or enough treasures to fill a mansion, but she has learned to hold them with an open hand. Hold everything with open hands. I don't think we are ever allowed to grab hold of anything or anyone as though they matter more than the kingdom of heaven. When you hold relationships with open hands, then people come in and out of your life as gifts of grace to be cherished and enjoyed, not objects to be owned and manipulated. And then when you hold your dreams with open hands, you get to watch God resurrect what seemed dead and multiply what seemed small."  
    Our hearts were not made to linger in the Land of What-Ifs.  So work with Christ to heal and gently loosen your heart’s hold on these chaining thoughts.  It’s not always easy and it usually won’t happen quickly, but Love is patient and Love is kind.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.  Love never fails.
So just let go.

Your Sister in Christ,
Jenny

p.s. Happy New Year!!

Emmanuel

I was praying about Christmas and began wondering what the Holy Family would be doing right now, in these last few days before Christmas.  I know what normally happens this time of year – shopping for last minutes Christmas gifts, baking the cookies, preparing the meals and throwing parties, watching those same good-ole Christmas movies that have become a yearly tradition, listening to Christmas music while wrapping gifts.

But what would Mary and Joseph have been doing in these last few days before Christmas – that first Christmas?

This day 2000 years ago, Mary and Joseph were already a few days into the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.   Mary was extremely pregnant.  Can you imagine making a five day journey on the back of a donkey when you are ready-to-pop-pregnant?!  She most likely would have ridden side-saddle and probably without a saddle.  I am sure her back ached from being pregnant on top of having to balance herself for hours on end on the back of the donkey.  Did her legs fall asleep from poor circulation? Was her bum sore from riding on that donkey’s back for days?  And Joseph, what was he wondering about the pending birth?  Was he anxious in trying to provide Mary with as much comfort as he could but knowing there was little he could offer on the journey? 

A stop along their way would be Jerusalem.  When they passed through would they have heard people singing and chanting, “When, O Lord, will you send the Savior you have promised?”  Would they have passed by the faithful watchers praying to God for the Savior to come?  Would Jesus have leapt in Mary’s womb on hearing the cry of His people?  Would Mary have placed a hand on her belly and whispered, “Indeed your Savior has come”.  

When they arrived in Bethlehem, was Joseph feeling discouraged as he tried to find suitable lodging for his wife and child, only to be rejected?  What was his reaction when that last inn keeper pointed to the stable?   A stinky, smelly, dirty stable littered with animal refuse and old straw?  Poor Joseph.  Bethlehem was his cross.  But Mary was not flustered.  She puts him at ease and reassures him with her gentle smile seeming to say, “Soon the Messiah will be born – God made Man – Emmanuel, God is with us.” 

As Christmas fast approaches, may we not get ruffled with the hustle and bustle of the holidays, but like Mary, ponder in silence and joy the awesomeness of this beautiful mystery.  Let us realize deep in our hearts that Emmanuel, God with us, indeed has come. 

                                                                                                           -Sr. Elizabeth, TOR

Making the most of the last week of Advent

It's almost the Fourth week of Advent, I can hardly believe it!
I often feel like I miss out on really entering in to the season of Advent because I get so overwhelmed with projects and exams during the first few weeks, and by the time I get home for break it's practically Christmas.
If you feel the same way I challenge you to make the most of this last week of Advent. It's not too late to prepare your heart for Christ's coming.

Check out this video, it's a great reminder of what Advent is all about.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

The Life of a Student: Much More than Papers, Projects, and Finals

As we approach the final classes of the semester and final exams, I wanted to share some insightful and, hopefully, motivating, quotes about being a student. I know for me as the semester drags on (or flies by, depending on how you look at it) I often loose sight of my purpose as a student. Especially being a senior this year, it’s easy to see school and everything that it entails as just the last step before “real life” begins. Recently this way of looking at things has really been negatively affecting my attitude toward classes, assignments, and finals. The last couple days though, I’ve been getting the feeling that the Lord is trying to challenge me to turn my bad attitude around and to realize that what He has placed before me right now, the life of a student, is His will for me at the moment. Fr. Brad said in a homily the other day, “Success is doing the will of God.” If I make the effort, I can choose to see each academic hurdle as an opportunity for doing God’s will, as an opportunity for success.

Know that you will all be in my thoughts and prayers these last, challenging days of the semester!

Peace,

Megan

"Dear students, Hold school in high esteem! Return to it joyfully; consider it a great gift, a fundamental right which, of course, also involves duties." -Blessed Pope John Paul II

"An hour of study, for a modern apostle, is an hour of prayer."
St. Josemaria Escriva, The Way, 335

"You have a war-horse called study. You resolve a thousand times to make good use of your time, yet you are distracted by the slightest thing. Sometimes you get annoyed at yourself, because of your lack of willpower, even though you begin again every day.
Have you tried offering up your study for specific apostolic intentions?"
St. Josemaria Escriva, Furrow, 523

"Do you desire to study to your advantage? Let devotion accompany all your studies, and study less to make yourself learned than to become a saint. Consult God more than your books, and ask him, with humility, to make you understand what you read. Study fatigues and drains the mind and heart. Go from time to time to refresh them at the feet of Jesus Christ under his cross. Some moments of repose in his sacred wounds give fresh vigor and new lights. Interrupt your application by short, but fervent and ejaculatory prayers: never begin or end your study but by prayer. Science is a gift of the Father of lights; do not therefore consider it as barely the work of your own mind or industry."
-Saint Vincent Ferrer

"You must study ... but that is not enough.
What do those who kill themselves working to feed their self-esteem achieve? Or those who have nothing else in mind but assuring peace of mind for a few years ahead?
One has to study – to gain the world and conquer it for God. Then we can raise the level of our efforts: we can try to turn the work we do into an encounter with the Lord and the foundation to support those who will follow our way in the future.
In this way, study will become prayer."
St. Josemaria Escriva, Furrow, 526

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24

Patience...

Dear Sisters,

"I beg you to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don't search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. The point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Someday in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answers..." ~ Rainer Marin Rilke

May God grant you peace.

~Margaret

Some Fun Extra Reading

Hey everyone!
While I was searching for an article to post on the blog, I came across this site that has a bunch of different articles that are quite good.  Instead of sharing just one article, I thought I'd give you the link for the whole site so you can check them all out.  If you have time and want to read some more articles about being catholic women, explore this site. 
http://catholicyoungwoman.blogspot.com/

Your sister in Christ,
Jenny

Happy Thanksgiving!

My Dear Sisters,

"Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I pray that you all had a blessed day of Thanksgiving.
Praise God for His blessings!

~Margaret

Saint Cecilia: Bride of Christ

Tomorrow is the feast day of my confirmation saint: St Cecilia. In honor of St Cecilia, today’s post will be about her life.

St Cecilia was an early church martyr, but most people know her as being the patron of musicians. She is usually depicted with an organ or other instrument, but she is the patron of musicians because she frequently heard angels singing.

Like many women in the 3^rd century, St Cecilia was forced into an arranged marriage. However, her husband was a pagan so Cecilia did not consider her marriage as valid in the eyes of God. Therefore, she retained her virginity and gave herself entirely to the Lord. Cecilia was responsible for the conversion of many people, including her husband. This led to persecution by the government. An executioner took his sword to her neck three times, but he was unable to chop off her head. She later died of the injuries after giving away all her possessions to the poor. Her body still has not decomposed.

Today’s Gospel reading (Luke 21:1-4) is about the poor widow who gave her two coins to the poor. Like the poor widow from Scripture, St Cecilia gave of herself for the benefit of others.The virgin saint clearly lived her life for God, even to the point of death. She gave herself entirely to the Lord, her true spouse. Like the widow, Cecilia knew her worth could not be measured by riches of this world. Both of these women saw their own true dignity as a bride of Christ!

-Holly

Sacred Sappiness

I didn’t use to be a sap. Or, rather, I should say I didn’t use to be as much of a sap. I’m not a chick flick kind of girl, I tend to find grand romantic gestures cheesy, and I prefer practicality to sentimentality (God help the man He chooses for me). But although I might not cry when Prince Charming sweeps the princess into his arms or when the blissful couple skips off into the sunset of their happily-ever-after, I am likely to cry at the sunset itself.  My heart stirs at hints of beauty, at human suffering, at traces of my Beloved in the world He has created and in the people He so desperately loves. I am finding that the closer I draw to the Sorrowful Hearts of Jesus and Mary, the more vulnerable my heart becomes to these arrows of love.

As women, our hearts are particularly open to this brokenness, to the arrows of the cherubim that pierce us to the core. These may appear as a common sunset, reminding us of the wonder at God’s design. It may be a cardboard sign held up by a homeless man on the streets of Pittsburgh. It might be the uplifted hands of a priest during the Mass, or it might be the sight of a pregnant teen sitting alone on the subway. These everyday moments and surprises shape our thoughts and our actions. They wound our hearts again and again, allowing us to hear the whispers of God.

To be a woman is to be uniquely open to these arrows of love. The Blessed Mother, as in all things, demonstrates this most fully. Her Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart was pierced seven times by the deepest of all sufferings, those of her Son. Bearing His sorrows and contemplating the mysteries of His life in the depths of her soul, the Virgin embraced her vocation at every moment to be daughter, mother, and bride: obedient Daughter of the Father, sorrowful Mother of the Son, and joyful Bride of the Holy Spirit. Because God is love, He enters by means of love. Those wounds that pierced her most deeply were the very avenues by which she was most profoundly transformed. So it is with us. As we come to recognize those arrows sent to us in particular, we discover much about who we are and how God would have us bring glory to His name.

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta said, “Break my heart so completely that the whole world falls in,” and St. Gianna Molla said, “Our body is a cenacle, a monstrance; through its crystal the world should see God.” Both women recognized that we are to shine forth Christ to the world in giving Him our hearts to do with as He wills. To be a woman means to seek and recognize the divine arrows of God. To be a woman is to be a sap, wounded by Christ so as to make Him known. Then will our hearts beat in time with His, and our prayer at every moment will truly be, “Jesus, meek and humble of Heart, make our hearts like Your Heart.” May it be done unto us according to His will.

Calysta Kohlrust recently completed her Masters in Theology at Franciscan University, where she served as a part of the Women’s Ministry team. She currently writes bible studies and catechetical materials for FOCUS: Fellowship of Catholic University Students. She also strives to heed her particular arrows by participating in ecumenical activities and writing so as to bring God’s light to those who might not see it otherwise.

The Dress Story

 

Junior year of high school.  Twenty days til prom.  Let the dress-hunt begin.

I couldn’t wait to go dress shopping. My good friend, Geri, and I decided to go dress shopping one Friday after school.  Excited and ready to make this a fun endeavor, we decided to try on a number of dresses – crazy ones, gaudy ones, poofy ones, hideous ones, then come out of the dressing room to see just how ridiculous it actually looks. 

In our pursuit of collecting different ridiculous dresses, Geri came across a soft green, A-line dress with an empire waist and a beautiful, sheer, black over lay.  The dress was stunning.  It was my size, so she added it to the stack I had waiting for me in the dressing room to try on. 
After Geri and I tried on the gaudy, fun, crazy dresses and modeled them for each other, I finally gave the green dress a go.  I put it on and walked out.  It fit perfectly.  The dress was beautiful - it was elegant, classy and yet flattering.  And it reminded me of a dress from the movie Titanic (which was big at the time…yes, I know, I just dated myself…).  I looked at myself in the mirror and just felt…beautiful. 

Geri kept affirming me as I turned, getting a view of the back of the dress.  "You should get this dress! It really looks great on you!”  I was getting excited – had I found my dress?!  

But the moment was shattered when I looked down at the price tag dangling by my arm. 

Ugh.

I knew that there was no way I could afford it on my own.  I didn't want to ask my parents to get it for me.  I just didn't want to go there.  I figured they wouldn’t get it for me anyway.  So in my attempt to console myself knowing that I would have to put this perfect dress back on the rack, I convinced myself that buying it was superfluous and superficial and that was that. 

But Geri kept encouraging me just to call my dad and ask him if he would buy it for me or at least help me pay for it.  I refused because I had already resigned myself to the fact that my dad would not get it for me. Geri was very persistent and just to appease her (and to prove that I was right), I called my dad and asked about the dress.  To my surprise, there was no hesitation in his voice when he responded with, "Of course I will get the dress for you."  

What.

I was dumbfounded. I was taken aback.  Did I hear correctly?  Did he just say he’d buy the dress for me?  Did I call the right number?

As I stood in silence, the phone still at my ear, I stared at myself in the mirror with a deer-in-the-headlights look.  I was in shock. Then I saw a knowing smile creep up on Geri’s face.  She knew all along.  She knew.  She had no doubt of his unprecedented love.      

It was in that moment that I realized I didn’t know the extent of my father’s love.  Instead, I put limits and qualifications on it.  My track record was to feel guilty when he'd spend money on me and I often tried to deny him the opportunity to do so (much to his frustration!).  So much for receiving love, right?

But something happened in that moment.  I realized that in his generosity and love, my dad wanted to give me the desire of my heart - even as something as small as a prom dress - and I was ready to forget the whole thing because I was sure he would deny me anyway.  I didn't know the extent of my father's love for me - I didn't let myself know it.  Instead, I put his love in a box.   

Isn’t this how we can be with God the Father?  Putting limits on His love – keeping His love in a box.  Not letting Him lavish His unique love on us in unexpected (and expected) ways because we don’t want to be disappointed? Or because we feel we have to earn it; we have to be “good enough,” pray more, or “be better” to even qualify for it?  

But if we are to live our vocation as daughter of the Father, it is key to let ourselves be loved by Him.  

Challenging? Yes.

But truly transforming.

I still remember my parents on prom night, waiting for me to come downstairs.  As I walked down the stairs in my green dress with my hair done up, I saw the look on my father's face.  I’ll never forget it.

It was a look of pride; a look of love; a look of joy.  

I felt loved.  I felt captivating.  I felt beautiful and "worth it".  There was a communication between my dad and me in that moment that surpassed words.  It’s moments like those – wordless moments, where there is just an exchange of giving and receiving love – it is those moments that help me realize that letting myself be loved and receiving love as a gift is definitely worth it.  By receiving his love, I let the truth penetrate my heart.  The truth that his fatherly love is unconditional, unprecedented, will never fail nor run out, and generously overflowing.  No matter if I "feel" like I deserve it or not.  That is the beauty of our Heavenly Father's love too.  It is not something that has to be earned.  That is foundational to know as we build on the truth of living our vocation as daughter.      

So did I need the dress to feel loved and beautiful?  No, I knew my dad's love was deeper than the fact that I was beautifully done up or was wearing a flattering dress.  But what did him purchasing the dress enable?  It enabled me to see the look in his eye as I walked down the stairs - the look of being delighted in; the look of joy he had because of me; the look of being deeply loved just for being me.  And that triggered something in my heart about the truth of love. 

I know it sounds crazy, and you may be thinking, "Come now, Sister, really? All that because your dad got you what you wanted?" 

But that's the point - it wasn't the dress itself or me getting what I wanted.  It was that through buying the dress, I allowed my dad the opportunity to manifest his unique love for me and for me to receive it as such.

I realized through this incident how often I miss those wordless moments with our Heavenly Father where He affirms my beauty and uniqueness…and all because I put His love in a box, refusing to receive His love…denying Him even the opportunity to do so…             

"See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God."

-1Jn3:1

                                                                                              

  -Sr. Elizabeth, TOR

Redefining Vocations

Yesterday afternoon Women’s Ministry core-team hosted an event, Redefining Vocations, to help women de-stress from their current perception of what vocation means. The event featured a talk by Sr. Elizabeth and three testimonies, including one by our core team member, Margaret. For those who were unable to attend or would like a refresher, these are the main points from the event:

1. Vocations should not be stressful. Many people (myself included) get stressed and overwhelmed about the thought of vocations, but vocations are not meant to be binding. Your vocation should free you and allow you to live your life more fully.

2. Your vocation is not just some point in the future. It does not suddenly begin once you have a ring or a veil, but is a process that takes place throughout your entire life. As Katrina Zeno came to find, “the process is the end product.” Your vocation began the moment you were born and is taking place right now. So do not get caught up in thinking about what your future vocation will be, but focus on living out your current vocation.

3. As women we have not just one vocation, but three that can be remembered as U-G-I,or Universal, Gender, and Individual.

a. The universal vocation is one that all people have, it is the universal call to love. This is the vocation we receive because we are daughters of the Father. Before going any further in learning what our vocation is, we must first understand what it means to be a daughter of the Father so that we can accept His love and share it with others.

b. The gender specific vocation is our call as women to be mothers. As women we are created with an empty space in us, our womb, which signifies this call to be a mother. But this is not limited to just motherhood in the physical sense, but also spiritual motherhood, which allows all women to nourish the spiritual, emotional, and psychological needs of others around us by caring for them or through prayer.

c. The individual vocation is the unique vocation each person has that is based on our gifts. Our unique vocation unfolds throughout our life and will never be completed while we are still living.

These are some of the major points Sr. Elizabeth touched upon in her talk, but to learn more about the vocation of women there are plenty of resources available, including Katrina Zeno’s book, Discovering the Feminine Genius, and many essays by Edith Stein.


God Bless,
Beth

Food For Thought: Vocations

Happy Friday, Ladies!
I thought that today, as the week is coming to a close, I would share some quotes that I found really thought provoking and good for reflection. Our theme so far this week has been vocations, since we are getting ready for our big event, "Redefining Vocations" this Sunday. So here are some quotes that shed some light on what vocations truly are:

"When you wonder about the mystery of yourself, look to Christ, who gives you the meaning of life. When you wonder what it means to be a mature person, look to Christ, who is the fulfillment of humanity. And when you wonder about your role in the future of the world look to Christ."
-Pope John Paul the Great

"The things that we love tell us what we are." -St. Thomas Aquinas
"Every Woman who wants to fulfill her destiny must look to Mary as the ideal"
-Saint Edith Stein

"We are born to love, we live to love and we will die to love still more."
-St. Joseph Cafasso

"The vocation of a woman is to suffer and to love."
-St. Teresa of Avila

I know some of these quotes don't seem to be directly related to the theme of vocations, but I challenge you to take a closer look at them, take them to prayer and see what God wants to tell you about vocations.

Feel free to leave your thoughts or reflections in the comments section, we would love to hear from you :)

In Christ's Love,
Megan

Clash of the Vocations

Love and vocations.  Two words that have terrifying significance.
    When I was in the third grade, I told everyone I was going to be a nun.  Not because I felt any real calling to it, but I believed the boys in my class were so weird I couldn’t imagine marrying one of them.  As I grew older and realized how many other men there were in the world besides the ones I went to school with, I changed my mind and decided I actually was going to be married one day.  The past couple years were dotted with moments of sheer panic, I would get myself so worked up at times, my mind would howl, “I’M NOT IN A SERIOUS RELATIONSHIP I’M GOING TO DIE AN OLD MAID MY BIOLOGICAL CLOCK IT TICKING I’M RUNNING OUT OF TIME WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE?!?!?!?!???”
I’m nineteen.
    In the back of my mind I knew I was being ridiculous, but that didn’t stop me from torturing myself with these despairing thoughts.  This past year, I made a commitment to myself to focus on a more intimate relationship with Jesus.  It was an extremely interesting and fruitful experience, one that is still ongoing and will continue for the rest of my life if I allow it to.  Every day I would recount in my head the ways He loved me and I would try to release worries and troubles into His care with as much trust as I could give.  I realized the truth in how important it is to have a sturdy relationship with God before entering into a relationship with others.  If I can’t love someone who is Love, Perfection, Goodness, Truth, and everything wonderful and who loves me so deeply, so passionately, so perfectly- if I’m afraid of that relationship, then how can I truly love someone who is flawed and imperfect and will at some point or another hurt me due to his human flaws?
    So as the year progressed and I felt myself loving God in a way I hadn’t before, a thought began to creep into my mind…..
“Wait….I think I love God…..DOES THAT MEAN I’M SUPPOSED TO BE A NUN???!?!?!?!?”
    Once again I drove myself to confusion with this sudden clash of vocations.  I couldn’t decide if it was God calling me or if it was just me panicking and dragging the thought back through my mind.  Though I had told myself that I was “open” to whatever God wanted, the thought of a different vocation, something different than what I planned, caused me a good deal of stress. 
    It took me a couple months to really realize that no matter what our vocation is, we are always called to love Christ passionately.  Once I confirmed this truth in my heart, the hysteric thoughts melted away, and I felt peace.  The other day one of my friends asked me if I was planning on getting married, and for one of the first times in my life, I couldn’t answer either way, I was at a loss for words.  In a way I felt like it wasn’t my place to say, there’s still this degree of uncertainty of what He has planned for me.  But I do know that He will Love me, and with His grace, I will be able to love Him back.  And if Christ does have a husband waiting for me somewhere, I know that my ability to love him will increase as my love for my God deepens.  And if God is calling me to join a religious order or to remain single, then my relationship is on the right track already.  Any time spent strengthening your relationship with God is never wasted time.  He’s not only the Love of our lives, He’s the Love in our lives.  The commandment says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, body, and soul.”  The phrase “but only if you’re going to be a nun” is not an attached disclaimer.        

Want to talk more about vocations?
Does the thought of vocations stress you out?
Whether you feel like you know your vocation or not, this is an event for YOU!
Join us for a relaxing afternoon that will include:
- A talk on Redefining Vocations
-Testimonies
-Refreshments/CHOCOLATE
-A Raffle
-Fun!

Sunday, November 13 · 1:00pm - 3:00pm in the International Lounge in the J.C. Williams Center
It's going to be awesome!

Your sister in Christ,
Jenny

Recap of Sr. Eliana's Talk

Ladies,

For those of you who weren't able to make it to the recent Women's Ministry event, I just wanted to touch on some of the main points of Sr. Eliana's talk about self-awareness as a means to self-gift.

  The first part of the talk was about coming to a better understanding of yourself and learning about yourself
- Listen to your stream-of-consciousness. What are your thoughts, dreams, daydreams, etc. trying to tell you about yourself? Take this to prayer
- What are your potential triggers/wounds that can affect your relationships?
- Don't discount your feelings - learn to guide them in prayer through the use of your reason and will.
- Listen to the older women and role-models in our life - they often have more experience and wisdom to share.
- Do a daily examine. At the end of your day, ask the Lord when and where you were with Him and when you were not.
- Note: All these things are meant to be taken to prayer, so prayer is obviously necessary and primary. Guard and protect your intimate prayer time and times of silence.
- Let the Lord affirm you through the experiences and circumstances of your daily life. Let Him love you through your friendships, relationships, triumphs, etc.
- Get to know Mary and develop a relationship with her! She is more fundamental to growing close to Christ than we can possibly imagine.
- Read! Draw fom the wisdom and beauty of Sacred Scripture,  the Catechism, the saints, philosophers, theologians, etc.

The second part of the talk was about self-gift and how we can practice it right now. This does not necessarily mean the self-gift to which you will be called in your unique vocation.
- Minisry of Presence
   - This involves communicating to others through all of your actions, both obvious and subtle, that they are truly worth your time. Be attentive, listen, make eye contact
   - Be authentic and truly share yourself with others.
   - Be okay with not having all the answers.
While there is so much more to be said on this topic, and while I cannot re-iterate all the wonderful things Sr. Eliana said, I hope this is helpful. I hope I find you all well, and please know that the ladies of Women's Ministry are always praying for you!
In Christ,
Marta

Beauty

“God endowed you with a glory when he created you, a glory so deep and mythic that all creation pales in comparison.  A glory unique to you…” 

-John Eldredge, Waking the Dead

Beauty. Beauty is powerful.  Beauty has to be one of God’s top wooing techniques.  It consoles and inspires.  It comforts.  It invites.  Beauty simply draws us to Him.  One of my favorite things to do is walk slowly and freely somewhere out in the country where it is quiet and unpolluted by cars or roads or buildings or manufactured noises.  Just simply walking and listening to the wind in the tall grass and hearing the symphony of creation that surrounds me.  It turns my heart to the Divine Lover every time.  Everything inside of me relaxes and I am at peace – even if chaos was swirling around me minutes before.  In those moments, His presence is so close that it is almost palpable.  He woos my heart with beauty and He invites me into His Presence through it.  I love moments like that.

A few days ago I did a Google search with the word “beauty” and do you know what EVERY picture was?  A woman.  Not a perfectly blossomed rose, not a gorgeous sunset with its burning reds and deep purples, not even the night sky studded with stars.  A woman.  Interesting, isn’t it?  Women, in their very being, represent what is beautiful.  It seems to be a universal truth.  And it is true; we do have a unique beauty in our feminine genius.  And I am not just talking physical beauty here.  We as women unveil beauty through our being.  Just as for me, walking through the beauty of the quiet and serene country land brings me in communion with the Divine, we as women have a special capacity for bringing others into an encounter with the Divine because we unveil truth about Him. 

Woman was created as a “helper” to man (Gen 2:18)– but not just in the sense that she cooks and cleans, does the laundry and helps to raise the kids.  She is also a “helper” in that she helps man (both the masculine gender as well as mankind) to realize his own identity and capacity for God.   

Isn’t that an awe-some thought? 

You. You do this. You are the gift the Lord has given the world by which man comes to understand his purpose and what he is created for.  You reveal to him the spousal meaning of the body – that we are made for communion and union with another.  Without you, man doesn’t understand that he exists for another and that his ultimate end is total union with God.  That is part of the feminine genius.  It is part of the beauty that is in the very essence of woman.  That is part of your beauty.  You, through the beauty of your very being, reveal this awesome mystery.  

Just as a beautiful landscape or a night sky or walking through a field invites us into the presence of God, the beauty of our femininity invites others into an encounter with the Divine Beauty.  

I was talking with one of my Sisters about this topic and she challenged me with this question, “Ok, so how do I, everyday, walking down the street, unveil Beauty to the people I meet?  How do I invite others to encounter the Divine in my everyday circumstances?”

So let’s talk about it. What do you think? 

                                                                                          -Sr. Elizabeth, TOR

Self Portraits

        One phrase that keeps appearing over and over in my mind is one that Jesus says when meeting the Samaritan woman at the well- “If you knew the gift of God”.  There have been many moments throughout life when I have wished for something else, whether it be a different talent or a different situation in life.  These wishes often hinder me from rejoicing in the moment and in all the gifts that have been bestowed most generously on my unworthy head. 
*Note: be prepared for a lengthy art metaphor*
        In my drawing class, we’re starting on self portraits, and I couldn’t help but realize how easy it is to distort certain attributes such that when we step back and look at what we’ve drawn, it can look nothing like our reflection.  Too often do we women focus on parts of ourselves that we view in a negative light and forget to remember the unique beauty of ourselves.  That if we were to change a part of us that God has made specifically for us, our overall depiction would be lacking. 
        God has not only blessed us abundantly individually, He has blessed the world through us.  Your individual creation has changed history forever.  If we only knew the gift of God, if we only knew the gift we are to others, I do not believe  we could stop the light of Christ from shining through us for all to see.  I think it is important for each of us to go before God and present our self portraits to Him and see if it is an accurate depiction of our reflection of Christ.  He will work with our mistakes and show us how it ought to be, how the true beauty can be revealed.  It will be our choice whether or not to take His words to heart and use the tools He has given us.  And if we do, when we present the finished work before the Teacher, we most certainly will not fail.   



Your sister in Christ,
Jenny  

Self-Awareness and Self-Gift

We all desire to give of ourselves. It’s part of our nature. Do you ever wonder how you could more fully give of yourself? The first step is to become more fully aware of the gift that YOU are. That’s right, you are a gift. The best way to come to this deeper understanding is to grow in self-awareness.

FUS Women’s Ministry is hosting a talk by Sr. Eliana Day TOR, entitled “From Self-Awareness to Self-Gift,” on Wednesday, October 26^th at 9:15pm in the JC Williams Center Fireside Lounge.

Sr. Eliana will be sharing practical tips for growing in self-awareness and serving others by giving the gift of self.

Come learn and grow with us!

Peace,

Megan

The Saint That Is Just Me

com·par·ing: to examine in order to discover likenesses or differences

Sounds innocent, doesn’t it?  But it tends to have a nasty connotation when you apply it to yourself and begin comparing yourself to others. I think we as women are especially prone to doing this. We overlook our unique beauties and see only what we are not, especially as we compare ourselves with another person.  We try so hard to be like someone else and spend so much time musing over how we aren’t like them that we are unable to fully embrace our true identity and be “the saint that is just me.”     

So I want to share a song with you - a song full of truth - because sometimes a song can speak to the soul better than a thousand words.  I want it to remind you of the beauties that YOU have; that are uniquely YOURS.  I want it to remind you that God is not in love with your idea of who you should be, He is in love with who you ARE.  

My prayer for you is that you let the truths within this song penetrate your heart...may you rest in His arms and find peace in being the saint that is just you…

 -Sr. Elizabeth, TOR

Spiritual Motherhood

The topic of spiritual motherhood has been on my heart recently. Each of us as women are called to motherhood in some form or another. We are all called to be spiritual mothers whether we have children or not. I began to wonder, why is this our calling? I realized we are called to motherhood because nobody loves like a mother.  A mother is willing to do everything necessary for the well-being of her children. A mother loves and understands us better than others, and often times even better than ourselves.  Nobody is capable of the self-sacrifice that a mother is capable of. Therefore, if we are called to spiritual motherhood, we are called to his same level of commitment, sacrifice, and love for our “spiritual children.”

How do we go about being a spiritual mother?

First we can look to Scripture. Scripture often speaks of the tenderness of God, and the love of God who loves us more than a mother. Scripture even alludes to God being like a mother hen guarding her chicks (Luke 13:34 RSV). Judith was a mother for Israel who willing to first pray for her children and then carry out the necessary deeds to protect them from harm. Esther was a spiritual mother for all the Jews and so she risked her life in order to expose the one who intended to do harm to her children and secure safety for her children.

Indeed, the role of motherhood is so profound that Christ chose for himself a mother. This mother he did not keep to himself but handed her over to us! Mary’s greatest grief was the suffering and dying of her son: a death that was probably more agonizing than if she herself were on the cross. And yet, because she is OUR mother, she willingly offered her beloved son on the cross. The pleas of a mother then, are close to the ears of God.

This call to motherhood is a universal call for all women and it is a noble call! Motherhood is especially important in a time like ours when society has distorted the meaning of motherhood. Instead of protecting motherhood, society degrades it, which results in such desperation that mothers would murder their own children in the womb. Spiritual mothers are needed to show the true meaning of motherhood, but also to demonstrate God’s love for the world.

Therefore, since motherhood is so important, how do we rise to this call? First, in the gift of self. This can be done in many ways, such as listening to a friend and giving our self fully to those around us without distraction. Motherhood also involves sacrificing for others, even in small ways, such as taking an hour to be with a person in need. By constantly praying for those around us, especially those that are lost from the fold we demonstrate motherhood. We can be like Rachel who wept without comfort because her children were no more. She was inconsolable (Jer 31:15 RSV). Remember Saint Monica, who for years prayed for her son Augustine to be converted? We, too, can pray continuously for the “Saint Augustines” in our life.

A mother does what is right for her children without hesitation; she does not ask if she is worthy to do so, even if it involves a rebuke. Even the Virgin Mary was not afraid to question the child Jesus when Mary and Joseph found him in the temple after searching for three days: “And when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, ‘Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously’” (Luke 2:48, RSV). As women, we should be unafraid to answer our call to Spiritual Motherhood and to ask for the grace necessary to assist us. The world needs more spiritual mothers and even as single women we can answer this call.

-Holly