One Year - giving thanks

This day has been one of joyful reflection and an unfamiliar sense of sadness too. I have been very blessed to have a few days this week before the Lord in reflection. 

It’s hard to come terms with the pure joy and blessings the Lord pour upon me this day a year ago. To be surrounded by loved ones, uniting together the people who have journey with and held me in moments of challenge, moments of joy.

My morning started with listening to Bishop Charles homily from my profession. Letting the words rest within me. Weaving a tapestry, a living tapestry is very real at this time for me. The living of the charism that is seen as living from a place of love, through the suffering when both love and suffering come together that is where we are called to stand. A question of where the margins are, where the saints and prophets rest. 

I was touched by the messages of love, joy and prayer. It brought tears to my eyes and made me longing to be present with those who celebrated the day with. While I know this is not possible, as a friend reminded me in my expression of missing AU/NZ people, join with them in prayer. Great wisdom that in truth carry me through the day letting me embrace all that came with it. 

   

In acknowledging the day the community here (half the community is still away on new year, tet, break) decided to go to the pink church! While the mass in Vietnamese there was a feeling of union with family, knowing we join together in thanksgiving. I took my rosary beads and prayed before mass with Mary then during homily. There was a sense of praying with all those who I miss dearly, praying with the beads my dear friend mum used, and now I too pray in union with her to our blessed Mary for guidance.

After mass we walked around looking at the church. I came to the statue of St Theresa where I was moved, as first time I have seen her present here in Vietnam. One beautiful lady in Australia gave me a statue of her and said that she prays for her to watch over me everyday. I am a little rose, her mother and her pray for their little rose everyday. On this day I felt it so moving to see this statue! Especially in the land of statue for so many people, half I never heard of or know of!! 

Moved none the less, with what the memory that holds for me, for the moment to reunite with this family, to hold onto what a rose has meant on the journey. 

After mass we went together to share a meal. We went to a ‘water park’ which is the literal translation into English. Rather it was a reserve, with little traditional huts where you could sit fishing or eat a meal!!

We ate in thanksgiving for the journey that has been and the strength of the time to come. We sat in conversation about life about small ways and just taking in the atmosphere.

Garden Park

After the meal Mary and I walked around been Vietnamese tourist! Taking photos at every tree, plant, bridge and object! It was a delight, easy going way to finish the meal. Some of the photos below.. I think we managed to reach the 100 mark ;o) Good team work hehe. 

This afternoon I was able to take a moment to sit in stillness, as a loved one sent me a beautiful prayer one line in it said 

‘In your heart may there be a sanctuary for the stillness where clarity is born. May your work be infused with passion and creativity and have the wisdom to balance compassion and challenge”

Traditional Fishing Net

The journey has felt long at times, other moments gone by very fast. The change in weaving, living weaving has been challenging for the soul at times while the growth is occurring. I am aware though that the Lord is present during these times. I pray that he makes himself a little more known to me some days!! I’m sure we all pray this. 

Tonight I sat in adoration, with the reading taken from Luke 5:1-11 - Awed by the miraculous catch of fish, Peter is called to follow Christ.
Un b known to Sister, it was this very reading nearly five years ago, after a retreat that I was coming to a year of discerning religious life (yes I gave the Lord a time frame!) that I knew the Lord called me to religious life, and that he was going to gift me with the boat to board. That weekend I was formally introduced to the Passionists and their charism.

On this day I have many questions, one could say the honeymoon stage is well gone and rather we have moved into the adjustment of living together and all this encompasses. There is give and take, learning the others way, realising my own values, attitudes, talents, ways that at times are not that which are shared. The journey is rich, I can not deny this, while at times its challenging, its lonely, its witnessing to something that requires great courage to use voice, give another way, create a path in the unknown or simply water in love and with gentleness the new shoots that you see. The year has been blessed with many significant events, and I'm certain the Lord has wonders just around the corner in the coming year for me too! 

I will finish with our concluding prayer from adoration which I felt it was written just for this day! Before this though, I just want to express my thanks - thank you for sharing the journey with me, encouraging, loving, supporting, and most importantly praying with me. Thank you.  

May we be beacons in the darkness, capable of seeing values where others see none and of recognising beauty where others fail to do so. 

May we be missionaries who firstly ‘are’ and then ‘do’, and who hope against all hope. 

May we enjoy silence in the midst of noise and dare to speak when cowardice would demand silence. 

May we experience daily the joy and the adventure that flows from giving one’s life for the sake of Jesus and His Gospel. 

May the ‘yes’ of Mary, Star of the Sea, continue to inspire and guide us all on the pilgrimage of life. 

Amen. 

Nga taking photo as too Mary two steps ahead of us while we bath up the rice paddies.