I came upon an article entitled,”A Renewed Commitment to Consecrated Life in the Third Millennium”. It explores the challenges facing those seeking to live as consecrated religious today and possibilities for such a life of witness. It gave me much to ponder. I spent some reflective time discovering how much I truly believe in the value of consecrated life in the Church today.
The article affirms conscrated life today and states, “The impression that some have of a decline of appreciation of consecrated life in some sectors of the Church can be seen as an invitation to a liberating purification. Consecrated life does not seek praise and human appreciation, it is repaid by the joy of continuing to work untiringly for the Kingdom of God, to be a seed of life that grows in secret, without expecting any reward other than that which the Lord will give in the end. It finds its identity in the call of the Lord, in following him, in unconditional love and service, which are capable of filling a life to the brim and giving it fullness of meaning.”
My call as a consecrated woman, as an Ursuline Sister, is a “invitation to liberating purification”. I truly commit myself to God’s mysterious call which ask that I entrust my life, relying only on the grace of surrender which has lead me to know a joy that fills my life to the brim. It is a liberating purification! I am fulfilled beyond all expectation in striving to serve the People of God. I am blessed in sharing life with my Sisters who have also surrendered and know a joy that brims over and will be complete only in the end, thy Kingdom come, thy will be done.