9-3-12

Praise be to Jesus Christ!

These last few weeks have flown by! Time here at the convent seems to go by so quickly. Over the past few weeks a lot has happened. The mission sisters went off to school for their first day. It was weird to suddenly have 6 less sisters. But it is all part of being at the regional house.

I have finally learned ALL the daily prayers of our community with some confidence. Now, if I am not fully paying attention  I can get lost and stumble on my words. I have also got the office book with the Franciscan Supplements down... I think... another small achievement but trust me, there is still lots and lots for me to learn.

Also, this past weekend a benefactor paid for us to see "2016- Obama's America" in the theater. Wow! That was very interesting. It was neither bashing nor promoting Obama. He was just telling why Obama is the way he is and what that means for America. Everybody should see it before they vote in the next election... we all should be fully informed.

I have also reread the autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux. Oh my goodness it is better the second time around. Here are just a few points that really stuck out at me this time... there are many more.
1- "Jesus my love, I have found my vocation, and my vocation is love."- so even though I miss being in the schools or getting ready for LifeTeen and Edge to start, I m at this very moment supposed to be here in formation and I am called to love regardless of what I am doing.

2- "I care for nothing, I want nothing, expect to do what Jesus wants."
3- Even St. Therese had trouble meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary... I thought I was alone :)

I have also finished ready St. Faustina's Diary. It was very interesting. I did not fully understand all that was going on and all that she was saying and what Jesus was telling her... but definitely a good read.

All the Sisters came home for Labor Day! And for the first time since I entered all 19 of us were home and accounted for! It was so awesome to hear all of our voices praying with each other. There is such a beauty of living in community. We had a "picnic" on the sun porch... a/c and a fan... we are not silly enough to go outside with the Texas heat and the pesty flies. That was so much fun.

So... new things I have experiences.
1- Picking okra- wear gloves and long sleeves. :)
2- Picking/cutting grapes off a vine- be weary of the snakes chillin' on the vine... ewwww
3- Making ice cream balls- totally like making snow balls just without the gloves. And oh so tasty!
4- Burnish a floor- that was not too bad.
5- make crab cakes- yes very tasty!!
6- Almost stepped on Brother Snake at night... totally during Grand SIlence... I did  a hop, jump, skip over him, and a silent scream and ran offto my room. :) Uff-da!!!
7- Went to a "cowboy church" for an ecumenical prayer service that was started by our brave bishop to promote religious freedom. Good talks and good music. The Disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ were there too. It was some awesome to see so many religious there- Did you know that by executive order (meaning Obama said so) active military members cannot present the flags in a church or religious ceremony?

So with that... who says religious life is boring and all we do all day is pray... but before you get the wrong idea prayer is central to our vocation. :)

I have been assigned to teach kingergarten CCD at a neighboring parish. I will get to tell them about God's love and stories in the Bible and even sing with them. But I also get to teach them to pray! Yes, kindergarteners are capable of prayer.

Then on Sundays I will be teaching 6 wonderful high schoolers. :D Theology of the Body for teens, T-3 Bible Study, and some info from the YouCat :D I am super excited!

Well that IS about it from the Panhandle, Texas! Please continue to pray for me, the other candidate, our formators, or Sisters, and for a successful school year!

God Bless,
 Ari

"The only thing I want badly now is to go on loving till I die of love." St Therese of Ligieux.

Freedom (8/26/12)

  During formation, we have been discussing what is true freedom. Society would tell us that freedom is the right to be able to do whatever we want, whenever we want- regardless of the consequences. However, the very wise Bl. John Paul II said it very well when he said "Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought."

Freedom consists in doing what is morally good and following the only person who is fully good, God. This may seem paradoxical but we are most free when we are following God’s law and his will for our lives. When we are not following His will we are sinning and we become slaves to sin as St. Paul describes in his letter to the Romans.

Think about it… let’s say someone is addicted to pornography, that person has to get "his fix."Money, time, loss of relationships, etc, are ensnaring this person. He can no longer function without porn. Is that freedom? How about always striving after the best car, house, technology- you name it- Is that really freedom? Or how about the desire to always fit in? You would do anything to be part of the "in crowd"- are you really free to live as God made you? In all these circumstances the answer is no! But these are the things that the world tells us will make us free.
So... what does the Church say about being free? In the beginning, Adam and Eve were created free. They were free from sin, death, corruption, etc. Their only limit was not to eat from the tree of good and evil, but they freely sinned by refusing God's plan of love and became a slave to sin. (C.C.C. 1730)
So when we deviate from moral law, we violate our own freedom because we become imprisoned within our own selves. (C.C.C. 1740) In other words, we become slaves to our own desires instead of being charitable to our neighbors. But we have hope. Our hope is in Christ (Gal 5:1). Christ desires to set us free from the enslavement of sin and death. All we have to do is run to Him and admit that we need his help. Us Catholics have a great way of doing this and that is by the Sacrament of Reconciliation. When we approach the Sacrament with a contrite heart and repentant soul Christ will set you free.
Now even through Christ has freed up by the Sacrament we must remember that we have an enemy who likes to ensnare us and will tempt us and sometime we will fall- but that is when we run back to confession. Christ's Mercy is unending. He loves us that much... here are some ways to fight against these temptations. 
1. The Eucharist- Daily Mass and Adoration.
2. St. Michael Prayer (see below)
3. Ask Momma Mary
4. Look up the saint who might assist you in this and ask for their intersession... there is a saint for EVERYTHING!
5. The Sacrament of reconciliation.

Remember to be patient with yourself as you try to grow in Christ's freedom. We are imperfect but our Lord is stronger than anything we could imagine and his love is infinite. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13. and "For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37.



Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, Satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.