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| image from turnbacktogod.com |
I'd like this to be a place where I can share part of my journey with you. I am currently discerning a call to religious life as a Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity (http://www.fscc-calledtobe.org/). I will be accepted as a postulant into their community in August 2012. The coming of this new step in my life has inspired me to get serious about creating a blog, a place where those who love and support me can keep in touch with my journey and a place to be acquainted with new friends too!
I love this quote from St.Clare of Assisi:
Place your mind in the mirror of eternity;
Place your soul in the splendor of glory;
Place your heart in the figure of the divine substance;
And, through contemplation, transform your entire being into the one image of the Divine One Himself,
so that you, yourself may also experience what his friends experience when they taste the hidden sweetness that God alone has kept from the beginning for those who love Him.
- from the Third Letter of St. Clare to Agnes of Prague
There's so much to glean and appreciate from this quote...I just really love the idea of transforming into the image of the Divine. On my most recent retreat to the Holy Family Convent we watched a video of a Fr. Michael speaking on how when we contemplate the Cross, we are not waiting to see our own face in the face of Jesus but rather we are waiting for ourselves to be transformed and changed into the likeness of Christ. THEN we go forth as His presence to a world that most desperately needs Him. How Beautiful!!
There's so much to glean and appreciate from this quote...I just really love the idea of transforming into the image of the Divine. On my most recent retreat to the Holy Family Convent we watched a video of a Fr. Michael speaking on how when we contemplate the Cross, we are not waiting to see our own face in the face of Jesus but rather we are waiting for ourselves to be transformed and changed into the likeness of Christ. THEN we go forth as His presence to a world that most desperately needs Him. How Beautiful!!
Chelsea, what wonderful beginning. I'm so excited for you, and I love your reflections on how Jesus transforms us in ways we don't expect. During my journey through the RCIA, we were asked to reflect on who God was in our lives, and I took to calling Him "the God of surprises" because He kept leading me to places I didn't expect (and often wasn't too keen about going,either!)
ReplyDeleteThank you for your blog, and for your inspiration to keep on listening for God's holy direction in my life.
Linda Mc-B.
I love your title for God - "God of surprises"...this helps me remember feeling the joy of new things, the joy of surprise, like when a child opens a special gift or someone recieves some wonderful news. Besides trusting wholeheartedly, I think when Jesus says we have to be little children to enter the Kingdom, we need to keep ourselves open to the surpises and joys in our lives. Thanks Linda!
ReplyDeleteChelsea,
ReplyDeleteI, too, love St. Clare's use of "mirror" for reflection. I hope to meet you soon and to share my "mirror" story/prayer with you. I'm also glad you have a blog. I will begin following it. It looks to me like you have some very insightful sharing. Blessings on you and know of my prayer as you prepare to become one of our postulants.
Sister Anne Marie Lom
Hi Sister Anne Marie! I'm looking forward to meeting you too and am now intrigued about your "mirror" story/prayer :) Thank you so much for your prayers!
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