Sister Susan Marie: Chat topic: Rejoice! The Letter from the Congregation for Religious
Look into the depths of your heart, look into your own inner depths and ask yourself: do you have a heart that desires something great, or a heart that has been lulled to sleep by things? Are you aware of the situation of your soul? Or have you nodded off? Do you believe God is waiting for you or does this truth consist only of “words”? Do we feel the restlessness of love? Do we believe in love for God and for others? Or are we unconcerned by this?
Not in an abstract manner, not only in words, but the real brother we come across, the sister who is beside us!
This is a primary responsibility of all adults, of formators: to set an example of consistency to the youngest. Do we want consistent young people? Are we consistent? On the contrary, the Lord will say to us what he said to the People of God about the Pharisees: “Do what they say but not what they do!”
Guest244 (guest): Thank you for this Sister Marie. I thank you for being a positive influence to our youth.
D: is the consecrated life only for religious
or lay persons also?
Sister Susan Marie: one can be a consecrated person in a third order
Sister Susan Marie: a lay person
Sister Susan Marie: for ex the Daughters of St Francis are a lay society and the members are consecrated
D: or like Third order Carmelites?
Sister Susan Marie: exactly
Sister Susan Marie: except that since we don’t have a first order (male) our laity are in a society rather than a third order
Sister Susan Marie: The Society of St Francis de Sales has daughters, sons, priests and sistersPM
D: I live in very rural area….far away from many things. still, I have this desire and somewhat live a monastic life, only by myself, and that is not so good. I think it is good to have spiritual direction, even necessary to avoid pit falls. no, I do not belong to any society or order.
Sister Susan Marie: The blessing with the daughters is that you get a companion to share with no matter where you live
Sister Susan Marie: The topic really applies to all because the questions are probing for each of us, the ones Pope Francis put forth
Sister Susan Marie: Look into the depths of your heart, look into your own inner depths and ask yourself: do you have a heart that desires something great, or a heart that has been lulled to sleep by things?
Sister Susan Marie: That in itself could take all night to discuss!
Ali: so important.
D: I am 63 and have been very interested in deeper interior life
Al: haha true an all nighter!
Al: how long have you been searching D
I have been longing for something deeper for a very long time
how do we delve deeper Sister?
Sister Susan Marie: Then none of us, hopefully have been lulled to sleep! The interior life is a longing for union with God
D: I think I have been seeker of truth a long time. then discovered spiritual classics
yes Sr Susan!
Ali thank you for sharing Dawn!
Sister Susan Marie: Yes reading such works helps us to go deeper. Try Bl Don Marmion’s book “union with God”- it is a classic too on going deeper into the interior life
Sister Susan Marie: Yes reading such works helps us to go deeper. Try Bl Don Marmion’s book “union with God”- it is a classic too on going deeper into the interior life
Sister Susan Marie: Ultimately the interior life willbe your most intimate conversations and presence to and with the Lord but flames need to be stirred up sometimes
Sister Susan Marie: That’s why spiritual reading has always been recommended
Sister Susan Marie: Prayer of course
Sister Susan Marie: And sometimes prayer with others brings a tangible sense of the Lord’s presence
Ali: thank you Sister. I sometimes forget the reading part
Sister Susan Marie: We know being with Him in His Real Presence of the Eucharist can be a silent deepening of our soul’s bonding with the Lord
Sister Susan Marie: Mindfulness is also important; living in the present moment
Sister Susan Marie: Letting Him lead us
Sister Susan Marie: Not resisiting those interruptions which lead us to a greater charity with others
Sister Susan Marie: THe Holy Father also asks: Do you believe God is waiting for you or does this truth consist only of “words”? Do we feel the restlessness of love?
D: ah…this is thoughtful for me what you write about not resisting interruption
Sister Susan Marie: How so? Does that happen to you then?
Sister Susan Marie: I know it happens to me!
Sister Susan Marie: What I could not identify with is the “restlessness” of love
Sister Susan Marie: I feel content rather than restless
Sister Susan Marie: Am I missing something I wonder?
Ali: on our part? I feel tremendously restless
D: restlessness….”our hearts are restless until they rest in you” who said?
Sister Susan Marie: St Augustine said that
Ali: nice
Sister Susan Marie: Restlessness drives you on then to keep searching for Him and to find your particular place with God PM
Sister Susan Marie: Where you can, at least for a while “settle in” with Him M
Ali: i am trying to find my place
Sister Susan Marie: If there are times or moments when the restlessness ceases, I mean in a prayerful place or state, then that may give you a clue as to where His Will for you lies
Ali: interesting..i asked the Lord what He wanted. I felt i must go to NY. During prayer that was confirmed
I dont know why yet!
Sister Susan Marie: And you responded
Ali: yes
Sister Susan Marie: But He will show you just as He did, in the example you just gave
D: thank you for insight Sr
Jul 13 2014, 8:00 PM
Sister Susan Marie: You’re welcome and hello Sr Mary Roberta!
Sister Susan Marie: The Pope also asks this, since you just mentioned young people: This is a primary responsibility of all adults, of formators: to set an example of consistency to the youngest. Do we want consistent young people? Are we consistent?
Mary Roberta Viano: That’s how we are consistent – consistently Salesian in all we do here in our school.
Alit: could you please elaborate?
Mary Roberta Viano: Our students say the Direction of Intention to start each class, for example.
Mary Roberta Viano: There’s a Salesian club, where the 7 little virtues are discussed and lived and Salesian-themed school assemblies planned. 6 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: St. Francis and St. Jane are studied in all religion classes. ,
Ali: wow! That is great! M
I just read the prayer too
Jul 13 2014, 8:07 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Hi Amy! Yes and this is a way to grow interiorly by interiorizing the spirituality
Mary Roberta Viano: Our music director set the prayer to chant, which we sing each day.
Sister Susan Marie: That is not only all consistent but interwoven beautifully in many forms
Sister Susan Marie: Repeat of an earlier question: Look into the depths of your heart, look into your own inner depths and ask yourself: do you have a heart that desires something great, or a heart that has been lulled to sleep by things? Are you aware of the situation of your soul? Or have you nodded off?
D: Intention prayer …how wonderful to have children begin days this way
Mary Roberta Viano: Everyone here is certainly awake to the state of her soul, I’m sure.
Am: Becoming aware of the state of one’s soul makes one especially grateful for God’s Mercy
Ali: I was thinking the same thing Sister!
Mary Roberta Viano: So true!
Ali: If we were not aware we would not be searching on here
Mary Roberta Viano: I love the way SFdS talks about ZEAL as regards our souls.
Am: so true, Alice. I think we all want to do something special for our Love of our Hearts, but even the greatest act is small as compare to God’s greatness
13 PM
D: I read in books but how wonderful to hear and talk with real sisters ( all of us)
Ali true Amy and Dawn!
Mary Roberta Viano: He says, “A show of ZEAL is our whole ambition. It is on this that each of us wishes to employ his talents, since zeal is for the glory of God.
Ali: how do we show zeal
i know people wtch us Catholics
Am: My priest was talking about the Chinese martyrs of last week, and it was St. so and so and his companions….he said it is ok to strive to be the st. so and so, but it’s also good to be the ‘companion’, the one who is recognized only in God’s eyes’
Mary Roberta Viano: SFdS says there are 3 ways to show ZEAL.
Am: what are they, Sister?
Mary Roberta Viano: “First, by carrying out acts of justice to repeal evil.”
- Mary Roberta Viano: “Secondly, by doing acts of great virtue in order to give good example…”
- Mary Roberta Viano: “Finally, the most excellent exercise of zeal consists in suffering and enduring many things in order to prevent or avert evil.” (from Treatise on the Love of God)
Mary Roberta Viano: So, SFdS’s whole focus is stirring up each one of us to do the most good we can.
Mary Roberta Viano: “…leaving nothing undone which can promote and increase the glory of God”
Ali: thats a whole lotta zeal!
Am: the last line is tough, nothing undone
D: Sr…can you name example of the last or number 3…sufferring and enduring?
Mary Roberta Viano: It’s really simply doing the next loving thing, as he also says.
Mary Roberta Viano: I think that would be SFdS’s focus on “God’s will of good pleasure.”
Jul 13 2014, 8:21 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: so, whatever God gives me to do or to endure, I give a thumbs up
D: ah!
Mary Roberta Viano: and that’s how the Visitation sisters stay so joyful!
Mary Roberta Viano: by saying, YES, Lord, to anything He asks
D: because all you do, in suffering, is really in joy, for the love of God
Jul 13 2014, 8:23 PM
Ali: Holy Mackeral! I am working a really extreme job physically-….
Am: joy Is a fruit of the Holy Spirit
Ali: endure and do it joyfully?
Mary Roberta Viano: so getting the proper rest is important
Ali I rest but my 57 yr old body is working the hardest it has ever worked. lol :24 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: That’s hard!
D: that is hard!
Ali: maybe preparing me for something
Am: what kind of job do you do?
M
Mary Roberta Viano: You’ll have to know, when it’s really too much for you.
Jul 13 2014, 8:26 PM
Ali: I am a nurse but i am waitressing in an extremely busy restaurant near the ferry
Am: that is hard on your feet work
Ali: i wanted to work immediately and have apps in nursing jobs too
D: I am a nurse too, working at Retired. nursing is hard waitressing is hard
Mary Roberta Viano: I hope you can put your feet up now and then, at least!
D: telephone triage nurse
Am: but you see people every day and you have an opportunity to witness to your faith by your cheerful disposition
Mary Roberta Viano: SFdS says in the Intro: “Accept all your duties peacefully, taking them in order one by one; if you try to do them all at once they will weigh you done.” Hmm…
Am first things first!
Alit: good advice
D: staying in present moment
Mary Roberta Viano: I admire you, Alice, for taking on so much and doing it well, obviously.
Ali: Thank you!
Mary Roberta Viano: and I think it
PM
Mary Roberta Viano: it’s probably time for you to go to bed!
Am: wow, it’s 8:30!
Ali: haha normally yes but i have off tomorrow. but i know you need to go! Thank you both so much
Mary Roberta Viano: One of our sisters says St. John had it best: resting on Our Lord at the Last Supper!
Jul 13 2014, 8:34 PM
Am next to His heart!
:34 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: so maybe as we retire tonight, we can see ourselves resting on Him and tucking us gently in!
Jul 13 2014, 8:34 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: His tucking us gently in!
Sister Susan Marie: Yes! and have a good week- until the next chat
Mary Roberta Viano: Let’s continue praying for one another! Sweet dreams! G’night