Dec 2012 - Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati

E-Voc
December 2012
evoke: 1. to call forth 2. to re-create imaginatively
Mary Moments
By S. Janet Gildea
CALENDAR
Jan. 2-5, 2013
SC Federation Charity Service Trip
for Young Adults, House of Charity,
New Orleans, La.
Jan. 18-21, 2013
Come and Serve for those discerning
religious life, House of Charity,
New Orleans, La.
For more information about the above
events, contact S. Monica Gundler at
[email protected].
“H
ow can this be?” Mary asked the angel. Henry Ossawa Tanner beautifully
captures the question in Mary’s heart at the Annunciation. It’s easy to forget
that Mary didn’t understand completely and wasn’t sure she wanted what
God was asking of her life.
Anyone serious about discernment can experience this kind of “Mary moment.” First,
there is incredible surprise: Could you really be asking this of me, God? Me? Seriously?
A rush of reasons why this cannot be follows soon afterwards. Too young, too old, too
inexperienced, too broken, too many other commitments, too much … They may be very
good reasons – very reasonable reasons. Laying those reasons aside is necessary to get to the
heart of the matter: What is God asking of your life?
This is the part of the Annunciation story that comes after “How can this be?” The
angel lays out the particulars of God’s plan. Well, sort of! There is still a lot of mystery. For
starters, what does it mean to be “overshadowed by the power of the Most High”? Mary
didn’t get many details and she was probably not 100 percent sure, but she had enough
clarity in her heart to say “Yes.” With whatever you are discerning, if you can reach enough
clarity that you can say, “If this is what You are asking of me, God, and I’m believing that it
is, I want to say yes” - then you can trust God will take it from there.
Mary surely had more questions for God as her call unfolded. But her faith and trust
grew like the child in her womb. She was helped by companions like Elizabeth who
proclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, Mary! Blessed are you who believed that what
was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled!” Buoyed up by that affirmation, Mary
reached another moment when she could sing, “God has looked on me in my lowliness.
The Mighty One has done great things for me!”
Whatever decisions lay ahead of you this Advent, seek out some moments with Mary as
portrayed in this painting. Surprised, questioning, doubtful, frightened, wonder-full, she is
a guide and companion for anyone discerning God’s call.
Pre-entrant Tracey Horan completed
the Indianapolis marathon on Nov. 3.
She ran for all women religious and
dedicated each mile of the race to
a Sister. Tracey is a graduate of the
University of Dayton, and lived with our
Sisters at Casa de Caridad in Anthony,
N.M., where she taught sixth, seventh
and eighth grade math at St. Pius X
in El Paso, Texas. She is currently
interning at the White Violet Center
for Eco-Justice at the Sisters of
Providence of Saint Mary-of-theWoods near Terre Haute, Ind.
Where are the Sisters Today?
Sister Margaret Mach
Breath of Heaven
I have traveled many moonless nights,
Cold and weary with a babe inside,
And I wonder what I’ve done.
Holy father you have come,
And chosen me now to carry your son.
I am waiting in a silent prayer.
I am frightened by the load I bear.
In a world as cold as stone,
Must I walk this path alone?
Be with me now.
Be with me now.
Breath of heaven,
Hold me together,
Be forever near me,
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
Lighten my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness,
For you are holy.
Breath of heaven.
Since 2011 S. Margaret Mach (left) has ministered as
a spiritual director at River’s Edge in Cleveland, Ohio.
To learn more about Sister’s ministry, click here.
A Good Read:
Fearing the Stigmata: Humorously Holy Stories
of a Young Catholic’s Search for a Culturally
Relevant Faith
M
att Weber grew up Catholic but
it was his experience as a Harvard
graduate student that led him to a new
appreciation for and understanding of his faith.
“Fearing the Stigmata: Humorously Holy Stories
of a Young Catholic’s Search for a Culturally
Relevant Faith” is a personal reflection that
is funny, poignant and at times surprisingly
profound. It is also the story of a very fine
vocation discernment.
E-Voc is the electronic newsletter from the Vocations Team of the Sisters of Charity
of Cincinnati for single women wondering what new thing God is calling forth in
their lives. To unsubscribe, click here.
If you are interested in learning more about life as a Sister of Charity, visit our
website at www.srcharitycinti.org or contact S. Monica Gundler at (513) 504-5592.
Do you wonder as you watch my face,
If a wiser one should have had my place,
But I offer all I am
For the mercy of your plan.
Help me be strong.
Help me be.
Help me.
Breath of heaven,
Hold me together,
Be forever near me,
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
Lighten my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness,
For you are holy.
Breath of heaven,
Hold me together,
Be forever near me,
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
Lighten my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness,
For you are holy.
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven.
To view a live link to the You-tube video
of “Breath of Heaven,” with clips from
“The Nativity,” go to: http://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=kPbV_HTpyx0