Perpetual Profession

This morning was the Perpetual Profession of Sister Nina Vincent and Sister Fatima Aphiri, Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows. This was one of the most beautiful things i have ever seen.

I am thankful for the Sisters and their Yes to God's call.
I felt a peace and joy during these 2 hours of the Mass and Celebration. I feel such peace knowing that this is EXACTLY where God is calling me to be.

I am very excited about my visit to the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity. I love their Charism, and order. Such beautiful, holy women. I have not even visited the order, but only from speaking with 1 of the sisters know that this is a beautiful and holy place.

I am at peace with my discernment, and am not so totally frieghtened or scared by it. I am thankful to the Holy Spirit and The Blessed Mother me for assisting me and guiding me on my journey.

Why we wear the veil.

Why Wear the Veil?

In ancient traditions dating back even thousands of years, the "veil" represented purity and modesty in many religions and cultures. A veil, or head covering, is both a symbol and a mystical sacrifice that invites the woman wearing it to ascend the ladder of sanctity.

When a woman covers her head in the Catholic Church it symbolises her dignity and humility before God, not men. It is no surprise women of today have so easily abandoned the tradition of the chapel veil (head covering) when the two greatest meanings of the veil are purity and humility.

The woman who covers her head in the presence of the Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is reminding herself that she must be humble before God. As with all outward gestures, if it is practised enough it filters down into the heart and is translated into actions that speak volumes. The "veil" covers what the Lord calls, in Holy Scripture, "the glory of the woman", her hair. Covering her hair is a gesture the woman makes spiritually to "show" God she recognises her beauty is less than His and His Glory is far above hers.

In doing this she is reminded that virtues cannot grow in the soul without a great measure of humility. So she wears the veil to please God and remind herself to practice virtue more ardently.

There is no other piece of clothing a woman may wear to serve this function. The veil symbolically motivates the woman to "bow" her head in prayer, to lower her eyes before the great and mysterious beauty and power of God in the Blessed Sacrament. By the bowing of her head and lowering of her eyes, she is more able to worship God in the interior chapel of her heart and soul.

The veil or head covering a woman wears gives a beautiful sense of dignity to a woman. When she wears it, she identifies herself with God's greatest creation, the Blessed and Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God. There was none on earth that loved and loves the Lord Jesus more than the Blessed Virgin Mary. In her love, her humility breathed forth like sweet scented incense before God. The veil she wore symbolised her purity, modesty and of course her profound humility and submission before and to God Almighty.

Those women who love Jesus must come to realise the imitation of His Mother in wearing a chapel veil (head covering) and in other virtues is a small sacrifice to make in order to grow in spiritual understanding of purity, humility and love.

The covering of a woman's head in Church is a striking reminder of modesty, something old but lost in the society of today. Modesty and purity walk hand in hand.

When a woman veils her head she is shielding her heart to be wooed by the love of God in the Blessed Sacrament. This is a mystical 'country' that only the Eternal Father may enter. Her veil is like the lighted lamps of the virgins waiting for the Bridegroom, an indication that she is prepared to receive Him at a moment's notice; an aureole of her spiritual love for the Bridegroom. Wearing the veil is an act of love of God.

Why should a woman wear a head covering or veil in church? Not to be praised, not to go along, not for tradition's sake, not to stand out in the crowd, not because you say or I say or anybody says…But because she loves our Eucharistic Lord Jesus and it is another small sacrifice she may offer for her soul's sake and for the sake of many souls who have no one to offer for them. Amen.

(Sr Patricia Therese, OPB)

Very thought and prayer provoking!

at peace

So i went to Confession yesterday, such an amazing feeling of grace. I love that feeling.

I am so filled with joy and peace and grace. The glory and love of the Lord is amazing!

So i hungout with my good friends tim and sarah last night, who have been dating about a week. they're so cute. but normally in the past i get jealous of couples and get upset. but last night i was really okay, and not jealous. i am finally at peace with my decision to discern.

I am not sure what God has planned, but i know it will be great!

questionable.

So as i continue the discerning process. I have doubts about joining. I am confused with what i have always wanted, and what i think that God wants from me.

I have thought about how i will tell the people in my life, i.e. my family, that will not understand the idea of me discerning religious life. But i have decided that it doesn't matter what they think or what they want for my life. I know that following God's will is the best decision i can make. I know that i must do what God wants for me, and nothing else or nothing less.

People are often unreasonable,illogical,and self centered;forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish,ulterior motives;..be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness,they may be jealous;..be HAPPY anyway.
The good you do today,people will often forget tomorrow; do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough: give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God;..it was never between you and them anyway.

-Mother Theresa

what's up?

My heart just wants an answer. I feel called to certain aspects of marriage, religious life, and the single life. I just want to know what God wants of me.

I just have to keep discerning God's will for my life.

I am so confused by life and what it throws at me.

One moment i feel confirmed in discerning my vocation to religious life, the next moment i feel that God is not calling me there. AHHHHHHH! I just want a freaking lightning bolt from God to hit me on the head.

I am scared to commit myself wholely and completely to religious life. I have never imagined myself being a sister since before this past year. I know i have to think about it and pray about it or i'll never know if God is calling me there.

I suppose to need to discern God's calling me there wholeheartedly and not being wishy-washy about it. I am nervous and scared that God is really calling me to religious life. I would be required to give up my life and submit to God's will. My whole life i've wanted to be loved by a guy, and be swept off my feet. Maybe the whole time God has wanted to sweep me off of my feet Himself??

Must continue to pray and asking for the grace and courage to surrender.

keep on.

Quick thought:

We rely on God alone to get us where we need to go according to His Will.

We must continually asked The Blessed Mother to help us in our pursuit of God's will and in our pursuit of holiness.

We need to seek God's presence in the Sacraments and receieve them often.

Keep praying, keep praying.

But maybe i should listen to my own advice?

discernment.

Short and sweet.

So i'm discerning religious life again. I thought a knew what God wanted. He likes to throw curveballs my way.

Please pray for me.