“Every great dream begins with a dreamer.  Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”   -Harriet Tu

Be kind and merciful. Let no one ever come to you without coming away better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting.

–  Mother Teresa

Lord, help us to remain true to our core Christian values, no matter what the price. When it comes to those we love, please help us hold them lightly in our hands, always preserving their freedom, rather than grasping or clinging. Finally, may we always be ready to help those who truly need help. Amen.

Prayer by St. Benedict for seekers of Faith:

Gracious and Holy Father,

give us the wisdom to discover You,

the intelligence to understand You,

the diligence to seek after You,

the patience to wait for You,

eyes to behold You,

a heart to meditate upon You,

and a life to proclaim You,

through the power of the Spirit of Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

Does your heart break?
Do your eyes water?
Knowing that what you imagined
what you hoped
may never be.

Tell me what do you do then?
Locked in the upper room
of your being
Scared to emerge into the reality
of what is.
For fear
For distress
For anger
For dying
All may be lost in this moment.

And what remains?
A call you thought you knew
A love that has seemingly disappeared
All is lost, including you.

How then do you begin again
rise again
resurrect
When the call doesn’t sound like you remember
doesn’t feel the same deep within your soul
When stripped bare you take account of what’s been lost
Pause and hold it there.
What is worth it
What does your heart tell your head
not vice versa

For this is the realm of the heart.
Real life felt- lost and found.
There are no solutions
only questions or substitutions
the choice is yours

What remains we must engage
or the tomb wins out
Death’s victory
Lost only to the one lost enough to find,
grieved enough to feel,
loved enough to behold
a body risen, a call revealed, a hope revived.

• Sr. Colleen Gibson, ssj

To pray is to breathe, Do it deeply and you will be filled with life. My God, I breathe out my fears and breathe in your strength, I breathe out my confusion and breathe in your peace, I breathe out my resentments and breathe in your love. I praise you with every breath I take!

-Author Unknown

May you embrace your messy, beautiful, heart-centered life, and always always follow and trust your truth.

Author and Artist Kelly Rae Roberts

Find a quiet space to be alone with God or Jesus or the Holy Spirit.

Allow your breathing to slow and to center yourself in God’s presence. As for the grace to be open to God’s presence and to this time and for insight.

God, our Father, I come to you today asking for your blessing and help as I continue to understand who you are calling me to ‘be’ in life. I pray for guidance and ask that you fill me with your spirit. Help me to know both yours and my desire to know which steps to take to seek how best to follow you – if it is to be a sister in religious life or not. I ask that you challenge me to reach higher and farther and be the best I can be.

Reflection

“Vocations are born in prayer and from prayer; and only in prayer can they persevere and bear fruit. Vocations invitation, which is the responsibility of every Catholic, must follow the same steps Jesus used when interacting with people. “Jesus stopped and met the gaze of the other, without rushing, this is what makes his call attractive and fascinating. Jesus did not stay in a “secure fortress,” but set out into the cities and villages, pausing to listen to the people he came across, taking in the desire of those who sought him out, the delusion of a failed night of fishing, the burning thirst of a woman who went to the well to get water or the strong need to change one’s life. In the same way, instead of reducing faith to a book of recipes or a collection of norms to observe, we can help young people ask the right questions, to set out on their journey and discover the joy of the Gospel.” Pope Francis

Conversation Pause with Jesus

Touch

Touch into your attraction to Jesus. Picture him saying your name and wanting to get to know you. Rest in Jesus’ presence. What do you want to share with him? If Jesus is asking you to follow him more closely as a sister, have a conversation with Jesus about it. What draws you and maybe at the same time what questions come to mind that you want to talk about with Jesus? Jot down in a journal highlights you want to remember and the feelings you experienced during your conversation with Jesus. What is Jesus calling you to do next? If there is no insight, ask Jesus, what do you want me to do next? Who can you talk to about next steps or what you believe Jesus is calling you to do? Can you take the next step? When will you do that?

Thank Jesus for any insights and for this conversation.

End your prayer with:

Lord, when my faith falters as it often does, may I hear your gentle voice saying to me, “Courage! Do not be afraid.” In that moment, Lord, may your divine power uphold me, calm my fears, steady my nerves, and enable me to steer our boat to a place of safety and peace, beyond the wind and the waves. Amen

“For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.”

Lord, in the sincerity of my heart, I offer myself to You this day, to be Your servant forever, to serve You, and to become a sacrifice of perpetual praise to You.   –St. Therese of Lisieux