Ready to say "YES"

March 25th, the feast of the Annunciation to Our Lady who would become the Mother of God.  Would you have been so brave to say "yes" with so little information?  It would have been overwhelming had she known what she was getting into.  Yet, once she said "yes" she had all the graces she needed as she went along to meet the events in her life with faith and love.  She stayed close to God through all she "pondered in her heart".  She wasn't just going through the motions of being a good Jewish woman.  She opened her heart in love and trust to God not just at the Annunciation, but many times after that also.

Today, the Daughters of Charity around the world are renewing their annual simple vows.  At 5:30 tonight my local community will have Eucharist in our chapel where we will each renew our vows--poverty, chastity (really celibacy since we are all called to live chastely), obedience and service of those who live in poverty.  It is hard to believe that I am 18 years vocation!!  I made my annual vows for the first time in 1998, 13 years ago.  It is interesting how each year the "yes" is a little different.  Each year I am in a different "place" physically, spiritually or emotionally and so my "yes" reflects that too.

The picture above is from the crypt chapel in Chartres in France.  Each year the worldwide leader of the the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul makes a pilgrimage to Chartres in the footsteps of St. Louise de Marillac, our foundress, to dedicate the community to Blessed Mother.  Below is what St. Louise wrote to St. Vincent before and then after the pilgrimage.


"I beg you most humbly to allow me to make a pilgrimage to Chartres during your absence so that I may entrust all our needs and the suggestions I have made to you to the care of the Blessed Virgin. The time has surely come for me to reflect on myself in the sight of God. I must tell you that I am convinced that the good of our little Company requires it." Spiritual Writings of Louise de Marillac p.120
 
"On Monday, Feast of the Dedication of the Church of Chartres, I offered to God the designs of His Providence on the Company ofthe Daughters of Charity. I offered the said Company entirely to Him, asking Him to destroy it rather than let it be established contrary to His holy will. I asked for it, through the
prayers of the Holy Virgin, Mother and Guardian of the said Company, the purity of which it stands in need. Looking upon the Blessed Virgin as the fulfilhnellt of the promises of God to mankilld, and seeing the
fulfillment of the vow of the Blessed Virgin in the accomplishment of the mystery of the Incarnation, I asked Him for the grace of fidelity forthe Company through the merits of the Blood of the Son of God and of
Mary. I prayed also that He might be the strong and loving bond that unites the hearts of all the sisters in imitation of the union of the three Divine Persons." Spiritual Writings of Louise de Marillac p.122

I pray that as we celebrate this feast day and renew our vows that our hearts and therefore the "little company" may also be renewed in our serving Christ in those who live in poverty with humility, simplicity and charity.

Is it Lent on the inside?

"I gave myself to God to accept the designs of His Providence if He willed me to continue, for the remainder of Lent, in a state of interior abandonment and even affliction so as to honor the sufferings of Jesus Christ which the Church places before our eyes."

St. Louise de Marillac, Foundress of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, SW p. 701

We often as children about what they are "doing" for Lent or what they are giving up etc. Hopefully, as we have aged our understanding of the purpose of Lent and our "doing" or "not doing" during this season has also matured.

It is easy to lose focus of the why for our various sacrifices and practices. Why do we partake in our Lenten sacrifices and mortifications. Why do we give alms (money for those in need) and why do we go to Stations of the Cross, Taize prayer or the similar?

Are we changing interiorly? Are we growing in relationship with Christ? Or as St. Louise, in her early years, are we trying to earn our way to heaven by our actions. Sure Christ calls us to follow His ways and example in our way of living, but He has already won our salvation.

All my devotions, prayers, sacrifices, acts of charity and justice are to unite my life more closely to that of Christ. The fruit of a good Lent is that within me, deep inside, I have become more and more connected to Christ, more and more Christ-like in my love and actions.

So, why did you make the choices you did for Lent? Is the primary focus growing closer to Christ or is it more about losing weight or some other way of being more healthy? Those sure are nice by-products of some of our choices for Lent!

I pray that as we travel through these 40 days, we may grow in holiness as St. Louise did over the years. May our interior spiritual lives give us the strength and courage we need during those stormy and uncertain times we are sure to encounter.

Here is a link to a Lenten calendar--check it out!

http://www.bustedhalo.com/features/fast-pray-give