(Photo by Nowaja on Pixabay.)
By Sister Michele Morek
In January I was part of the group of elected delegates for our official Chapter meetings. (In case you are not up on “nun-speak” the Chapter is the governing body that creates policies and sets directions for the next few years.) We had an excellent facilitator from another religious community – a Sister of Saint Joseph.
Sister Michele Morek
Our facilitator told us more than once how impressed she was at how much our founder, Saint Angela Merici, had to say to us. She compared it with her own community’s patron, Saint Joseph, who is not on record in the scriptures as saying anything! And when she would ask, “what would Angela say about this?” we were always ready with a quote from somewhere in Angela’s Rule or Legacies or Counsels.
I don’t think I have ever felt Angela’s presence with us so tangibly. Together (“insieme” as Angela would say in Italian) we followed her advice:
“If you faithfully carry out these things as the Holy Spirit suggests to you, according to the times and circumstances, you will rejoice and go forward willingly … you will persevere faithfully and joyfully in the work you have begun.” (Angela Merici, 10th Legacy)
Or in the words of a Jan Novotka song, “We Go Forth” (from her album Roots and Wings)
“We stand here together
Hand in hand, side by side
Letting go, we go forth into mystery
We go forth as one
We stand strong.”
I think Saint Angela and Jan must have been collaborating on this.
As we approach Lent,
- What are you intending to let go of?
- How are you going forth into mystery?
Blessings on your Lenten practices!
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