Sister Mary gave her “yes.”
We have another Novice! Sister Mary gave her “yes” like Our Blessed Mother, and oh, how the graces flowed…such happiness comes from within and it was the Holy Spirit overflowing in the hearts and on the faces of each Sister in our Sacred Heart Chapel as our Mother Mary Pauline placed the white veil of a novice upon Sister Mary’s bowed head on May 1st, the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker. The novitiate is work for the body and the soul and it marks the beginning of a canonical year for Sister Mary during which she will be studying our constitutions and writings of Our Holy Founders in order to absorb the spirit and charism of our Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary. This will be a time of learning for Sister Mary!
Learning what, some will ask? Sister Mary, with God’s grace, will learn many things, not the least of which will be a learning curve of self-knowledge. We must know Jesus Christ intimately and allow His Light of Resurrection to penetrate our very souls…but in order to allow this, we must first come to a deeper awareness of our littleness in His Greatness. We are at first blinded by His bursting Light and the awareness of His Presence. During this time, we pray, pray, and pray…and learn to trust Him more, more, and more. Learning to trust a loving God, who wants our greatest happiness requires a full surrender in faith, hope, and love. The more we open this door to Him, the door of surrender, the more He will fill us with His love…as the Psalmist wrote: Open to me the gates of holiness… Open wide ancient doors… It’s no surprise that the tomb was “opened” and the Risen Lord, in God’s Glory, appeared. A similar resurrection can and does happen in our own lives. If only we accept the grace God offers, He alone can open our heart and mind to His own desires. Jesus Christ, Crucified, is a Teacher of Love…and Jesus Christ, Risen, is a Teacher of Hope. I am grateful to be His student, and just like Sister Mary, I still have alot to learn.
God puts joy in our daily lives, let us ask Him to bless everyone and everything, especially our newest Novice, Sister Mary with all the graces that she needs to continue to grow in holiness. May Our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ, be at her side every day and may Our Beautiful Blessed Mother Mary remain very near to her. May our Founders, Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Jane de Chantal inspire her! Thanksgiving to God for the goodness that He bestows upon our community…God be praised!