Posts tagged ‘call’
Open a New Window, Open a New Door
There are so many instances in the Scriptures where we see someone being called by God. Today’s Gospel reading gives us another one of those instances. Today Jesus calls Simon, Andrew, James, and John. And, truly, God calls each of us today and every day to follow.
I like the way Auntie Mame expresses it in the musical “Mame”. She sings:
Open a new window,
Open a new door,
Travel a new highway,
That’s never been tried before;
Before you find you’re a dull fellow [or perhaps young woman],
Punching the same clock,
Walking the same tight rope
As everyone on the block.
The fellow you ought to be is three dimensional,
Soaking up life down to your toes,
Whenever they say you’re slightly unconventional,
Just put your thumb up to your nose.
And show ‘em how to dance to a new rhythm,
Whistle a new song,
Toast with a new vintage,
The fizz doesn’t fizz too long.
There’s only one way to make the bubbles stay,
Simply travel a new high way,
Dance to a new rhythm,
Open a new window ev’ry day!
A window in Chartres, France.
Come and You Will See
Today’s Gospel passage (John 1:35-42) tells of Jesus inviting the disciples to follow him by inviting them to “Come and See.” He’s not asking them to make a commitment. He’s not saying they should follow him. He’s not telling them how they should live their lives. He is simply inviting them to investigate . . . to observe . . . to see for themselves just who he is and what he is about.
We, the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael, are hosting a Come and See Day on February 4th. We’re not asking for a commitment either, we are simply inviting single Catholic women, between the ages of 20 and 45 to come . . . to investigate . . . to observe . . . to ask questions . . . and to find out for themselves just what being a sister might be like.
Why don’t you come? Why don’t you encourage someone?
Come and You Will See
Here I Am, Your Servant Is Listening
Our Scripture readings continue with the theme of call. Yesterday’s was the calling of Jesus’ disciples, and today, in the First Book of Samuel, we read about the calling of the prophet Samuel.
Then Eli [the prophet] understood that God was calling the youth. So Eli said to Samuel, “Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” When Samuel went to sleep in his place, the Lord came and revealed his presence, calling out as before, “Samuel, Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
And in today’s response from Psalm 40 we read:
Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.
We will only be able to answer God when we have learned to recognize God's voice. So we need to take time for solitued, prayer, and reflection.
What Is My Fishing Practice? Am I Faithful to My Spiritual Practice?
Sisters Pat and Judy hiking back from their fishing trip in the Sierras.
This morning (the Feast of St. Andrew) during our morning prayer, Sister Millie reflected on the Gospel reading. She talked about those who fish, and how sensitive they become to the movement of the water – the movement of the fish – the movement of the boat. Perhaps that helps create in them a sensitivity to the Spirit. Could that be why they were able to drop their nets and follow so suddenly (seemingly) and completely. They may have been predisposed by their practice.
What is my practice? Am I as attentive to my “practice” as these fishermen were?
[Jesus] said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of people.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.
- Matthew 4:19-20
Walk this Way
Today is the Feast of Saint Luke; the Gospel of Luke is attributed to him. We read today from that Gospel:
St. Dominic may have walked this way through the streets of Toulouse
Jesus said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the mast of the harvest to send out laborers for the harvest.”
So today we pray for vocations to the service of God’s people. We Dominican Sisters pray especially for vocations to Dominican Life. We invite you to Walk this Way.
5th Graders Visiting the Convent
Teachers always love field trips! Especially field trips when the children and parents (chaperones) enjoy what they learn. Every year the Diocese of Oakland invites schools of the diocese to send their 5th grade students on a special field trip. The boys go to St. Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park and the girls go to a sisters’ motherhouse in the diocese.
Today students came from two diocesan schools to the motherhouse of the Dominican Sisters of San Jose. Three of us sisters, Sister Liz Schille, RGS (a Good Shepherd Sister), Sister
Sister Beth talking to the 5th graders
Beth Quire, OP (a Dominican Sister of Mission San Jose), and I (a Dominican Sister of San Rafael), taught them a little bit about what it’s like to be a sister, and the importance of answering God’s call in their life. It was a fun day, and the girls and their parents really enjoyed themselves.
Truly, all of us are called . . . from the time we are baptized, or even from the time we are born. God calls us to, as the apostle Luke wrote: “. . . to preach good news to the poor. . . to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19) God calls us to do this whether we marry or not, whether we become a nun or a sister or not.
Today we talked about our way, as sisters, of living out this call. I always like talking about that, because I love being a sister!
This is Vocation Awareness Week
Hopefully you heard this announced in your parish, but maybe you didn’t. This is Vocation Awareness Week. Every year the Church celebrates this week as Ordinary Time begins with the Baptism of Jesus.
As Jesus was called at his baptism, so are we called at ours. If we were infants at the time, we surely don’t remember it. Probably there was only ordinary family drama – no preacher clothed in animal skins and no dove hovering overhead. Nonetheless, the Holy Spirit was with us then in fullness – and stays with us now.
Because we recall this call of Jesus at this time of his life, it is appropriate for us to reflect upon our call. Just what is God calling us to?
An author and minister, Frederick Buechner, may have said it best. “Our calling is where our deepest gladness and the world’s deepest hunger meet.”
