Let no Disturbance of Mind Appear

A quote from Catherine McAuley:
Though we cannot always feel the same, yet we can so guard our exterior as to
let no disturbance of mind appear in our manner or countenance.

When I was a novice we were taught to be recollected at all times. Well, that is quite impossible for novices in their late teens. at the time I thougth is was to keep us from being too noisy because there was a large group of us and we came in a "herd" wherever we went. a couple had heavy footsteps.

when I was older, I learned there was more to this. When you are in ministry, it behooves one to seem cool and collected while there is turmoil going on around you. it helps you todeal withirate parents, co-workers and the close quarters that caused us to "push butons".

Still later I learned that if you place your trust in God and loved people, then not much can ruffle your calmness. I think I'm getting it a bit better. it's all about having that inner peace and serenity that helps one to realize that each pice of turmoil is NOT a crisis. often remaining cool and collected does so much good. To be there, one must have a quietude of attitude that comes from a deep spirituality. I'm trying. I don't always succeed, but there is alwasy tomorrow to start again.

waht about you? How are you handling all the stuff that comes your way?
www.sistersofmercy.org

According to Your Heart's Desire

A quote from Catherine McAuley:

Mortify in me , dear Jesus, all that is displeasing to Thee and make me according to Your own heart's desire. Amen.

I have been attending a class in my sabbatical program where we are working on what we were expected to do in our earlier years, those expectations where we were to work in a virtue and perfect it. If fact when we talk about becoming perfect we often think that it means to be without any error or sin. When we look at "being perfect as God is perfect" it is a hard act to even try to follow. It can be so discouraging since we fall, time and time again.

A different interpretation of this is to look at the whole of those passages, not just the part that is often read in liturgy. What one sees is that God is asking for compassion and love, not perfection! It was a new revelation for me. It also helped me to look at my outer life of trying to be perfect and at my spiritual life which is a personal relationship with a God who loves me just as I am.

Now today's quote says to me that are asking Jesus to make us aware of our weaknesses and to shape us according to his desires, which is with mercy and love.

So let us look at our lives to see where we are listening to God's desire for us and what is our ego or pride trying to make us better than others. It's an interesting slant on perfection and much easier to allow God to form us in mercy than to be without error.

www.sistersofmercy.org

Do Something More Each Day to Attract God's Love

A quote from Catherine McAuley:

You should endeavor each day to do something more to attract God's love and friendship, than you did the day before.

God simply loves us, no matter where we are the the spiritual journey. God is ready and waiting for us to turn in God's direction. To endeavor to do something more each day to attract God's attention isn't so necessary. God's attention is already focused on you. What we need to do is to turn each day to be aware of God's attention. In practice, it may look like we are doing something to attract God's attention, but what we really are doing is tuning our hearts, minds and body toward God's realm. god is attracting our intention (attention)!

Blessings on you as you reflect upon this. I welcome questions, reflections, comments.

www.sistersofmercy.org