As I look back my last semester in Chicago, I am full of gratitude for all the experiences. I grow in self knowledge from good and bad feeling, success and failure experiences. As St. Paul said “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Rom 8: 28).
I am grateful for many simple experiences that show God’s unconditional love and companionship by getting consolation after a simple prayer, having an appreciating and understanding community, peaceful days, and rarely being sick.
I am grateful for the grace to persevere in Jesus prayer which helps me to manage my time during the day.
I am grateful for my spiritual director for his encouragement to “do it for Jesus” and “be patient.”
I am grateful for the experience of diversity in Maryknoll as I am learning to accept theological, political, and cultural differences, also the diversity of personality, hospitality, sacramental life, way of prayers, way of life and ways to express our identity as Maryknoll Sisters.
I am grateful for Genie especially for her liturgical knowledge, for Jareen especially for her creativity to make my simple ideas better, for Sr. Jean especially for her support in healing prayer ministry, for Laura especially for our common rosary as it bridges our differences, for Sr. Sue especially for her acceptance of my complaint and for so many support and prayers from Maryknoll Sisters.
I am grateful to be treated as an adult with the appreciation and acknowledgement of my talents, gifts, ways of prayer, and freedom in choosing ministries and classes. It challenges me to manage myself, not to be taken for granted, and is consistent with my values. I learn to live as simple as I can and not to collect stuffs, especially as I will leave orientation community soon.
I am grateful for our effort in making mutual decisions, even though sometimes it takes a longer time and creates a little bit of tension. I am reminded to listen in a conflict situation as we try to look for a win win decision.
I am grateful for the helping hands of my sisters, the appreciation of my personality and personal space.
I am grateful for our common prayer and meal schedules, which give me the space to maintain relationship with friends outside orientation community.
I am grateful for my ministry, official and non official, as I am not only giving but also learning from the people I have encountered. Reading a book ”Ending Abortion” by Fr. Frank Pavone, MEV and several pro-life materials led me to be a helpline volunteer at Aid for Women, a pregnancy resource center, in the Spring 2009. My passion for healing prayer encouraged the members of St. Thomas of the Apostle Charismatic Prayer Group to ask me to organize the Healing Prayer Study Group. I started a prayer team with Harriet Spieth, who is a Eucharistic Minister, and this has been my wish since my first ministry of Fall 2007.
I am grateful for my classes in spiritual companioning for ministry and religion in context especially for learning to listen attentively and forgive anyone who does not meet my unrealistic expectation.
I am grateful for my orientation as my school of knowledge, love and humility.
Thank you very much for all your support, generosity, and prayers. As Meister Eckhart said If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.
I am grateful for many simple experiences that show God’s unconditional love and companionship by getting consolation after a simple prayer, having an appreciating and understanding community, peaceful days, and rarely being sick.
I am grateful for the grace to persevere in Jesus prayer which helps me to manage my time during the day.
I am grateful for my spiritual director for his encouragement to “do it for Jesus” and “be patient.”
I am grateful for the experience of diversity in Maryknoll as I am learning to accept theological, political, and cultural differences, also the diversity of personality, hospitality, sacramental life, way of prayers, way of life and ways to express our identity as Maryknoll Sisters.
I am grateful for Genie especially for her liturgical knowledge, for Jareen especially for her creativity to make my simple ideas better, for Sr. Jean especially for her support in healing prayer ministry, for Laura especially for our common rosary as it bridges our differences, for Sr. Sue especially for her acceptance of my complaint and for so many support and prayers from Maryknoll Sisters.
I am grateful to be treated as an adult with the appreciation and acknowledgement of my talents, gifts, ways of prayer, and freedom in choosing ministries and classes. It challenges me to manage myself, not to be taken for granted, and is consistent with my values. I learn to live as simple as I can and not to collect stuffs, especially as I will leave orientation community soon.
I am grateful for our effort in making mutual decisions, even though sometimes it takes a longer time and creates a little bit of tension. I am reminded to listen in a conflict situation as we try to look for a win win decision.
I am grateful for the helping hands of my sisters, the appreciation of my personality and personal space.
I am grateful for our common prayer and meal schedules, which give me the space to maintain relationship with friends outside orientation community.
I am grateful for my ministry, official and non official, as I am not only giving but also learning from the people I have encountered. Reading a book ”Ending Abortion” by Fr. Frank Pavone, MEV and several pro-life materials led me to be a helpline volunteer at Aid for Women, a pregnancy resource center, in the Spring 2009. My passion for healing prayer encouraged the members of St. Thomas of the Apostle Charismatic Prayer Group to ask me to organize the Healing Prayer Study Group. I started a prayer team with Harriet Spieth, who is a Eucharistic Minister, and this has been my wish since my first ministry of Fall 2007.
I am grateful for my classes in spiritual companioning for ministry and religion in context especially for learning to listen attentively and forgive anyone who does not meet my unrealistic expectation.
I am grateful for my orientation as my school of knowledge, love and humility.
Thank you very much for all your support, generosity, and prayers. As Meister Eckhart said If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.
Chicago, May 21, 2009
Linda AB, M.M.
Let's do simple things with simple love to make God's love visible
P.S. This sharing was published in Maryknoll Sisters Orientation Community Newsletter Spring Summer 09
This is a beautiful reflection.
ReplyDeleteFocus on gratitude is an important reminder to me.
And I am grateful to you for all the ways my pink Sister is present and loving in our community.
@Sr.Anastasia:Thank you very much for your compliment.I am grateful for all your hard work for our community especially in the Development Department.GBU.
ReplyDelete