Take a moment and remember a time when you experienced a shift in your life. In the midst of living an ordinary day, an intuition, an insight from deep within arose and you began to “see” in a new way. You “saw” an answer to a question you had been carrying, or clarity came that focused your energies, maybe even redirected your choices and activities. Or an encounter with a person, with others, which changed you, opening possibilities beyond what you imagined. This shift might even have been life changing! If so, it also became life challenging, with consequences you never imagined. Remember what has carried you through it all.
The women and men in the Scriptures, ordinary people like ourselves, also experienced life-changing moments. Samuel, a young man living his culture and tradition, longing for tomorrow, seeking to discover his way into the future, was surprised, jostled, by “call”, an inner experience which only he could describe. His life was changed and challenged as he gradually took his place in the service of his people.
Mary, a young woman immersed in her culture and tradition, about to be engaged to a young man named Joseph, had an experience which changed her life. Contrary to the portrayal of an angel standing at her side (!), Mary had an encounter, a deep interior experience in which she was forever changed. She was dumbfounded, she questioned, expressed doubt – how can this be – and then she received assurance. Yes, God was doing something new. Go visit your cousin Eliz. She too has been changed. Together, they grew into the truth of those life changing moments. We know well the challenges both women faced as their sons, John the Baptist and Jesus, discovered on their life path.
Another young woman named Lizzie Armer came from Sydney, Australia, with her family into the gold rush culture of San Francisco in the mid 1800’s. Like many others from all over the world, they too were longing for a better tomorrow.
Lizzie longed for more than gold. Flowing from some interior encounter, (though we don’t have a picture of an angel standing next to her!) she felt called to enter the Carmelite monastery, to devote her life to God.
In dialogue with her parish priest and the archbishop of the day, she said yes to the needs of the people of SF: the children and families needing material and spiritual services/support. Her response: “My monastery will be in the streets.‘ And so it was. Her life was forever changed and challenged as she lived into her longings.
“Vocation is that place where our deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.” (Buechner)
Lizzie lived her deep gladness, her integrity, in a way other than she had imagined. Other women joined her. We are the ones who live today in our culture and tradition and who long for tomorrow.
50, 60, and 70 years ago we Jubilarians lived life-changing moments in which each of us felt called, invited from deep within, to commit the rest of our life to God and to the people, families, children in the streets whose needs were/are not met by other organizations or institutions. In our hearts, the words of Fr. John Prendergast resonate: “You belong to the people. Remember, consider them first.”
We have lived many consequences of our decisions to belong to the people. In the midst of constant change in society and the global family, we came and we have stayed. So, what sustains us on the journey?
I invited our Sister Jubilarians to share a SS passage, poem, image that has helped sustain her on the way. Listen to some of their wisdom:
…. wisdom about WHO WE ARE:
“God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life.” Jn 3:16
I will espouse you to Me forever; I will espouse you in right and in justice, in love and in mercy. I will espouse you in fidelity, and you shall know the Lord.” Hosea 2:21:22
“You are worth more than many sparrows…I count every hair on your head. Where your treasure lies, there is your heart….”
…….wisdom about WHAT WE ARE CALLED TO LIVE:
“ I will continue to reveal Your Name so that the love with which You loved me may be in them and I also may be in them” Jn 17:26
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because She has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” LK 4:18
“All I ask of you is to act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8
“I saw a river which must be passed in order to reach the Kingdom of Heaven and the name of the river was suffering; and I saw the boat which takes so many souls across that river, and the name of that boat was LOVE!”
M.D.
…… wisdom about WHAT KEEPS US GOING?
“…I place myself into Your hands…my whole being- my soul, my body with my intellect and will. I offer you all that I am and have; all my joys, sorrows, my work, my crosses. I place in Your hands all whom I love, and all who have done good toward me. I ask only for Your love and grace.”
Morning Offering
“Prayer and love are learned in the hour when prayer has become impossible and your heart has turned to stone.” Merton
”I know the One in whom I have believed and I am certain He is able to guard all that has been entrusted to me…” 2 Timothy
Finally, listen to some wisdom about our LONGING FOR TOMORROW:
“ Behold, I am doing something new. Can you not see it springing forth in your midst?” Isaiah 43:19
“I am not afraid to face tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today, for He walks with me along the way.”
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Our deep gladness, our family relationships, bonds of friendship in community and ministry formed over many years, times of solitude and prayer, help sustain us and our creative activity in the world.
We trust that whatever we have lived will be a small contribution to the future when the vision of the Earth Charter will become reality as the human family grows into:
“… the awakening of a new reverence for life,
the firm resolve to achieve sustainability,
the quickening of the struggle for justice and peace,
and the joyful celebration of life.” Earth Charter
Our faces and our bodies have changed through the years! Our hearts have been purified and refined by circumstances and continue to be tended by our God who is Wild Abundance! We will always belong to the people!
Gathered around this table with all of you today, our hearts are filled with gratitude and openness.
May our lives, all of us here today, witness our
THANKS FOR ALL THAT HAS BEEN.
and our YES FOR ALL THAT WILL BE”
Dag Hammarskjold