"We commit ourselves to following Christ..."

In our Constitutions we read

6.
We commit ourselves to follow Christ
by consecrating our lives
through the profession of the vows of obedience,
poverty and chastity.
Rooted in Him through contemplation
we wish to be women who create communion.
By the witness of our love and apostolic dedication,
by sharing the life of our peoples
whose cultures are rich and varied,
our communities throughout the world
help to further communion in Christ.



We are all called to commit ourselves to follow Christ. Maybe everyone is not called to consecrating their lives by religious vows, but I do think that we are all called to create communion. I am blessed by my vocation to share the life of others from different cultures and different parts of the world. One of the greatest graces of my life was to spend twenty years as a missionary in South America and it has marked me for life. I try to keep up with some of my friends from there and have others in Spain, Italy, England, Scotland and Ireland and hope to renew friendships with several of the Canadian Province. Keeping up relationships takes time and trouble, but I feel called to do this even more as so many of my friends (those still living) are suffering and more isolated. People appreciate getting a card just to let them know that you are thinking of them and praying for them.
It could be a good thing to do this Lent - just think of some of your friends who perhaps do not do e-mail and would love to hear from you and sit down and pick up a pen and write. It is one way to create communion. I am also trying to be encouraging and giving more feedback to my friends as I know how much it means to get good feedback. I think this is a way to help us further communion in Christ.

Another book that I am reading is by Edward L. Beck, a Catholic priest who is a member of the Passionist Community and who wrote God Underneath and now has written Soul Provider: Spiritual Steps to Limitless Love - not new but good for me for Lent as it is an easy to read modern version of the St. James Climacus' The Ladder of Divine Ascent, a classic in the History of Christian Spirituality and still read each Lent in Eastern monasteries!
Beck takes each of the thirty steps and makes them come alive with real life stories. I am only on step six, but it is a delightful book I am enjoying so I mention it here. I am not yet listing it on the side of the blog as I need to read it first! I taught the classic online!