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!