On May 3, 2017, we welcomed Sr. Anna as a novice in our community as she was given the habit of our Order. Below is an excerpt from the reflection given to the Sr Anna and the Community on the vigil of her clothing.
In the scriptures for tomorrow’s feast, we hear, “Jesus said to Thomas, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know me and have seen me. Philip said to him, ‘Master, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long and you still do not know me Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.’” It is that seeking of God that is so powerful throughout our entire life. But one must truly seek God especially in the novitiate because that’s a very telling time. It’s a time when choices are made. It’s a building of a foundation for a life dedicated to God in which we sing the praises of God day by day and through signing those praises, we seek the face of God. We must seek him.
We seek him steadfastly. And when you wear the habit, you’re wearing your ‘yes’ to the life. Every morning, we put on our habit, we are saying yes to the monastic life. We are saying we will do this again. And what do we do? We go out and sing the praises of God. So you know where your strength comes from. It comes from singing the praises of God. No matter what we do, what is going on, we sing the praises of God. We seek His face the very first thing in the morning.
You are taking the steps of a life embedded and dedicated to God. In this life, we leave everything behind and are embraced by the face we seek.