The other day, I quoted from Reverend Mother Janet Erskine Stuart, RSCJ. She told us that we can never trust God enough. Today, I have more quotations taken from the Academy of the Sacred Heart's Annual Report featuring quotations from the writings of Mother Stuart. Since they speak to me, I want to share them with you.
Remember that the source of happiness is within ourselves. Nothing outside can give it, even if you make your circumstances ideal. Nothing can take it away."
The most blessed thing is to be an active element of joy. Joy brings God himself near.
And finally, one of my favorite quotes that appeared on the Academy of the Sacred Heart's Christmas card: To be a Joy-Bearer and a Joy-Giver says everything; it means that one is faithfully living for God and that nothing else counts; and if one gives joy to others we are doing God's work.
I hope this helps us to live with joy today; it is Lent, but Jesus came to bring us life and we communicate life when we communicate joy. It just seems appropriate for today to stress that joy does bring God near. A sad saint is a sorry saint!
When I speak of the Academy of the Sacred Heart I am speaking of the school founded by St.Philippine Duchesne, the first foundation in America made in 1818. This year I will be celebrating my 60th anniversary of graduation from high school from this dear and holy place. The children have been studying Mother Stuart's life and writings this year.
2 comments:
Dear Sister Helen , I am very happy to find this blog site of yours. I am a Buddhist monk and the Buddhist chaplain of a university here in South Australia. Thirty Five years ago, when I was twenty two years of age, I had lost my Christian faith. I was staying with some Anglican nuns here in Adelaide and in my reading I came across the following:"It is always here and now, there is always the present moment to do the very best we can with, and the future depends on the way these moments are spent." Mother Erskine Stuart.
I wrote the quote down then and put it inside my bible. i have copied it out in this message to you from the same sheet of paper I wrote it on those many years ago.
At the time it touched me deeply as it seemed profoundly spiritual without mentioning the word "God" which at the time I could not abide. It also prefigured my engagement with the practice of mindfulness in Buddhism and my loe of the Baddherakata Sutta in the Buddhist scriptures.
So tonight when I googled her name I came across so much material. I didn't know that like me she started out as an Anglican and was also a teacher. I feel great joy at discovering in Mother Janet so many more points of potential dialogue between Christians and Buddhists. Now it remains to me to find a copy of the highways and Byways of the Spiritual Life.
Is there a branch of your congregation in Australia? maybe they would lend me a copy to read.
I'm not so good at blogs and the internet but my email address is thon0012@flinders.edu.au if you would be so kind as to let me know whether or not there is a Sacred Heart congregation in Australia.
good wishes
Thich Thong Phap
Dear Sister Helen , I am very happy to find this blog site of yours. I am a Buddhist monk and the Buddhist chaplain of a university here in South Australia. Thirty Five years ago, when I was twenty two years of age, I had lost my Christian faith. I was staying with some Anglican nuns here in Adelaide and in my reading I came across the following:"It is always here and now, there is always the present moment to do the very best we can with, and the future depends on the way these moments are spent." Mother Erskine Stuart.
I wrote the quote down then and put it inside my bible. i have copied it out in this message to you from the same sheet of paper I wrote it on those many years ago.
At the time it touched me deeply as it seemed profoundly spiritual without mentioning the word "God" which at the time I could not abide. It also prefigured my engagement with the practice of mindfulness in Buddhism and my loe of the Baddherakata Sutta in the Buddhist scriptures.
So tonight when I googled her name I came across so much material. I didn't know that like me she started out as an Anglican and was also a teacher. I feel great joy at discovering in Mother Janet so many more points of potential dialogue between Christians and Buddhists. Now it remains to me to find a copy of the highways and Byways of the Spiritual Life.
Is there a branch of your congregation in Australia? maybe they would lend me a copy to read.
I'm not so good at blogs and the internet but my email address is thon0012@flinders.edu.au if you would be so kind as to let me know whether or not there is a Sacred Heart congregation in Australia.
good wishes
Thich Thong Phap
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