By Sister Michele Morek
If, according to times and needs, new rules should be made or any change introduced, do it prudently and with good advice. (St Angela Merici, Last Legacy of her Testament)
Most Ursulines I know are proud of our founder’s foresight and practicality in giving us this wise counsel. In our own celebration of 150 years as the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph, and in our almost 500 years of existence as Ursulines (yes – in only 10 more years we will be celebrating that milestone) we have taken her up on that advice several times!
I am reminded that Angela’s advice is especially timely now, since at the beginning of each year, each Ursuline Sister does a personal discernment about her ministry and life in community. But in a more general sense, it is also good advice for many communities of women religious, especially the historically older groups.
So, what’s next for us? Is there something we should change to remain relevant and vigorous in mission and ministry? As we consider our present realities our question must be: Lord, what is your will for us in this day, in this time?
In the January issue of Give Us This Day, an essay by Michael Lee, a Fordham professor, offered a good strategy for anyone discerning a path forward. It was a reflection on Mark 6: 34-44, on the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. At first, when Jesus told the disciples to get some food for the five thousand people, they could only see their old tried and true solution of the past, the one that had worked for them before … buying it. Just a small problem – they had no money! But they simply couldn’t imagine any other way of handling it.
Instead, as Dr. Lee says, “Jesus asks them to do two things. They must realize what they have and then organize themselves.” (And though Lee did not say it, they have to trust and obey!) What the boy has is five loaves and two fish. What they can do is to get the people to sit down, and to distribute the food. And let Jesus take care of the rest.
It almost sounds too simple! But the next time you enter into discernment, try it. Ask “What do I/we have?” and then “How do I/we organize to do what needs to be done?” Then let God take over from there.
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