"May God make you the instrument of His glory." Catherine McAuley
This morning I was visiting with Sr. C., one of our older sisters who is a wisdom figure in our community. She shared a little about of of the other sisters who has an isolation sign at her door. This sister had a long career as a teacher, teaching hundreds of students in her writing classes. Today she is suffering, unable to communicate well. How can God use a very gifted teacher who cannot talk or write well to be his instrument of glory?
Yet, she is. She always has a smile on her face. seems eager to visit with anyone who comes into her room and tries, with humor, to communicate as she can. On the outside we may see someone with a disability. On the inside is this rich, warm, loving woman who has given of her life and gifts to many.
God can take any of us, the clumsy, the poor, the stuttering, the gifted and the not-so-smart and use us for His glory. Catherine was right. Each of us can be and should be an instrument of God's glory. When was the last time you asked God to make you an instrument of His glory?
Now an instrument is just a means, a vehicle, to carry out the intent of the user. Are we allowing God to use us to carry out His intent?
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Catherine's Quote of the Day
"Hurray for Foundations! They make the old young and the young merry!"
New beginnings! How much excitement there is in a new endeavor even if there is some fear and anxiety. Remember starting school, going off the college, or the first day at that first job. I remember the first day driving to my first mission to teach school. I was travelling with three sisters all older than my mother. I wondered how we would get along and how the convent would look and how my classroom would be. It turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life!
A couple of years ago I was asked to begin a new house. This was to be a ministry of welcoming. I felt like I was beginning a new foundation. I gathered three other sisters to be part of this house, the House of Welcome.
We did some sharing beforehand about how this would work. I wonder if Catherine McAuley our foundress did the same thing as she decided which sisters would go to start a new foundation. Did she gather only those who agreed with her, did she look for sisters who had particular skills, or did she see who would fit together? We may never know,but we do know she was successful. She was a good judge of people when it came to service to those in need.
New beginnings! How much excitement there is in a new endeavor even if there is some fear and anxiety. Remember starting school, going off the college, or the first day at that first job. I remember the first day driving to my first mission to teach school. I was travelling with three sisters all older than my mother. I wondered how we would get along and how the convent would look and how my classroom would be. It turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life!
A couple of years ago I was asked to begin a new house. This was to be a ministry of welcoming. I felt like I was beginning a new foundation. I gathered three other sisters to be part of this house, the House of Welcome.
We did some sharing beforehand about how this would work. I wonder if Catherine McAuley our foundress did the same thing as she decided which sisters would go to start a new foundation. Did she gather only those who agreed with her, did she look for sisters who had particular skills, or did she see who would fit together? We may never know,but we do know she was successful. She was a good judge of people when it came to service to those in need.
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