Power House of Prayer

Artist and pianist are capable of making art because they both have the power to influence, to be fully awake to their Maker, and fully aware of his making of them. I can’t imagine anything more dangerous to the enemy of our hearts than people who know who they are. 

The travelling continues, Im finding it hard to keep up with the blog writing as there is so much to write about, many photos to share and deep insights gain. 

Today though, I have an hour this morning to type away before we head out to meet more beautiful Sisters, beauty filled women who have so much wisdom, grace and spirit to encircle. I want to write about the gift I have witnessed....

We are now in England, Manchester. Yesterday we visited another one of our ‘Power Houses of Prayer’ Sisters. Which is how I feel about the more experienced Sisters. When departing from their home I was struck by a memory which felt like a spark of hope, spark of delight in the joy, life and spirit that dances around us all. 

What feels like many years ago… I spent two weeks staying with a congregation in New Zealand. They were wonderful Sisters, opening and welcoming. In this congregation there was a younger Sister from Fiji present in New Zealand completing her nursing qualification and working in the home of the Sisters. I was pair together with her, with great memories in a period of discerning. It was very alarming to see so many Sisters elderly in the rest home and rather confined to their rooms. I remember thinking, praying with a heavy heart of the reality before me. Responding to a call from the heart yet a reality, a path before many, entering the possibility of joining an ageing community. What kind of foundation is able to be built upon when the community is facing a stage of ending, a season of life so full with grace, full of unity and trails of its own. 

It does not take much reading in the media, or even witnessing the change within orders to notice the forever changing age, changing presence within society of religious sisters. Its reality and while we do not need to dismiss it, or even at times question it, rather we need to stop been blind or try to justify and embrace. Its time to alter our thinking, see the light, see the beauty, see the life!! 

Personally, Im getting a little tired of the same record been played, the same expression of great concern that Sisters are ageing, dying or been limited in their abilities. Sometimes it even comes from them, aware or not of their words while explaining about another Sister who had done great work, sad she is unable to now… It is easy to reflect on the greatness one has done in earlier years while I feel that there is still greatness to be done NOW!! 

Our congregation has so much life in it, so much spirit. It is more alive than some parishes I have been able to join to celebrate Mass. It is more alive than that Sister rest home I stayed, it is more alive than anywhere I have visited for a very long time... The life is so bright, joyous and embracing that its hard not to feel like you want to live there yourself!!!!

I have now had many meals, just like Jesus taught us to do, with our Sisters. What a blessing to get to meet them all, it is an honour to sit with them to join in celebration, join in eucharist together. I have found myself looking around me and seeing women whose bodies have aged, but whose lives serve Him by the example and wisdom they share with others. That inward part of them that loves the Lord and that He loves in return is unworn, unwrinkled, ageless. Their service may be less physical, but they serve nonetheless. 

When I see our Sisters, our elderly in the parish communities, in society, I see people who love Jesus, its like their inside spirits glow brighter than all the wrinkles and age spots. Their inner beauty outshines their outside appearance. 

Sr Monica and Sr Barbara - Bolton Community

This perspective has transformed my thinking radically and I am deep encouraged. I feel its easy to fall into the trap of listening to others concern, words of caution of joining a community ageing. While I respond - no need to be narrow sighted, no need to dismiss the pure power and love that shines over the miles of water, over the evident gap of societal constructed barriers.

How many people are gifted the deep insight, or even the pure sight to see that our world is changing due to the house of prayer that we have! Our congregation is also changing due to this power house of prayer! 

An example of this recently our meeting at Larne had Sisters from all over the world praying and holding the meeting in their presence, sending positive, renewing energy; therefore this helps the spirit be even more present, I believe. 

For many back home, unable to connect to this example I encourage you to look around next time you sit in daily mass, who is there? Your see the power house present, those whose love runs like flowing living water, been expressed in so many ways beyond that of physical service which we are most accustom to use as a measure of expression of faith. 

Sr Anglica - who was introduced as Angel Anglica
England - Ilkley Community

What a power house of prayer we have! 

It would - it is - changing the world. Not only do our beloved set example, doing their part - praying, listening, learning and showing us ‘younger souls’ how to grow old gracefully. How to grow gracefully. 

They still are creating God’s art. 

Sr Christine - Middleton Community
Sr Margaret - 

In our congregation - your church communities - there are people who have been following Christ for years. They are reaping the rewards of maturity that come through successes and failures in a well-lived spiritual life. It is an honour to sit at their feet and learn from their experience. They see things differently than those of us who are living in a consumer driven society. Their perspective on problems is different. Many no longer seek to impress those who surround them because they have already seen the futility of doing so. Now, they deem themselves closer to meeting the Lord and seek His approval now more than ever. Trends do not affect them, because so many have come and gone. They are valuable to God and therefore should be valuable to us. 

All the Sisters, parishioners, workers, people who have journey with our Sisters, are apart of my memories and my life story, because they have made a choice to use their gift of uplifting speech to breath life into my soul. We are all created to live in relationship with the Lord and with each other. Just the pure gift of been present is the greatest and most valuable service, witness one can gift. 

Im left with a sense that this journey, that I at times get caught in my head, thinking its counter cultural, its a little lonely in the sense of no companion, it is joining a community that will not be able to companion with me soon…. 

All this is head… 

My heart has learnt that my journey is formed on a foundation of support, deep support that is prayer, that is love and that is a union of a congregation breathing life into my soul, into my story. Can I identify it at times - no - do I witness the foundation they have gifted me with - yes.  I believe I would not be where I stand today within myself, within a renewing community without this graced gifted love. I feel deeply touched and blessed to continue to write, witness and explore the coming chapters of the story. 

Pray to the Lord that my heart stays united with all my Sisters, past, present and future as we journey together.