Someone Worth Waiting For

As of Vespers today, November 27^th, Advent begins! Throughout the Church the Antiphon is raised, “Proclaim the good news among the nations: Our God will come to save us.” Again and again, year after year, we sing this magnificent mercy of God – He comes to save us from sin and draw us to Himself. The conviction that He IS coming, that He HAS come, and that He dwells among us is coupled with the longing of the entire Church whose members desire to be united to their Lord as she takes up the refrain: “Come Lord, do not delay!” Come and fill our emptiness, come and wash away our sins, come and create in us a pure heart, come and stay with us, come and take us to Yourself. In this light of longing for and expectation of Christ’s coming, the monastic life has an incomparable significance. What is the purpose of the cloister but to allow those within to be with God and to “be about His work” – interceding, asking for the coming of God and His grace into the darkness of the world.

On the Solemnity of Christ the King, we received a brand new postulant into the monastery - Sister Nicole! After making three courageous knocks onto the enclosure door, she was admitted to the cloister. She followed her new Sisters to the chapel as “Adoremus in Aeternum” was sung. Kneeling before the altar, she was clothed with the postulant veil and received the medal worn by novices and postulants of our order. Our newly garbed Sister was brimming with happiness and excitement as we greeted her one by one. We are most grateful for God’s gift of this new vocation! Please pray for our newest Sister who begins a brand new life, a life full of longing and preparations for the coming of Christ. Come Lord Jesus!

A New Name

On October 25^th, our postulant Sr. Elaine became Sr. Mary Lucia of the Holy Trinity and was invested with the holy habit! It was a day of immense happiness for Sister, her parents, siblings and friends who made long journeys to witness her entrance into the novitiate. We always look forward to asking the just-hours-old-novice’s family what they think of their daughter’s new name! Whether the Sister’s patroness is a complete surprise or has been her friend for years, inevitably there is a swelling recognition: “This is it! Her name fits!” This is a testament to the special grace from above that comes with one’s new identity in Christ. This identity is coupled with a mission or task which seems a mystery at first glance. A novice’s life is imbued with prayer and she is immersed in a life of service. From these primary “works” her unique formation begins… a transformation process destined to last a lifetime! Please keep our newest novice in your prayers. She is named after St. Lucy, virgin and martyr who is often invoked for those suffering from eye disorders. We pray that God may truly give us all the grace of “having the eyes of [our] hearts enlightened, that [we] may know what is the hope to which He has called [us]” Eph 1:18.