Retreat Sunday

Dearest Ones,

On the first Sunday of each month, we Sisters observe Retreat Sunday, a day when we keep silence until 3:00 pm. I look forward to this day, because we spend time reading and praying about our reason for being on this earth, about our death and how we can better love God in our daily life. Inspirational music is played at meals and we choose great books about God which are most likely to teach us how to love Him more. I'd like to share with you some thoughts I had during this day with Our Lord. I always pray before writing these emails, so as not to give you wrong advice, for many of you are much holier and wiser than I am, so take everything I write always simply as the words of a friend, to be weighed for what they are worth to you.I don't always feel the Lord's love, but I know that feelings don't count. It is what I know and believe that is important. I don't want to be His follower only when it feels good. I know that God is always loving me. The Bible says God's relationship with each one of us is a love relationship. Often, He refers to us as His "beloved." He compares our love affair with Him to a marriage, when two people vow to love each other forever. That's what God wants from you and me - a promise to love Him, just as a spouse does. We are all in this love affair with God because that's why He made us. He wants not only a promise but I must actively prove my love. This is shown in the way I treat His beloved children. It's when I see Christ in the poor, the old and the helpless, that proves my love. I do think the greatest need today is to understand the Mystical Body of Christ, the belief that He is in every one of His children and we all ought to be servants to one another. Jesus came to serve, not to be served. We must do likewise. Christ suffers in His tortured children; it is His life in them that gives them power and courage in suffering. I pray every day that I won't lose my faith, and I pray daily for all of you, that we shall all keep our faith. It is really all that matters. There is always a danger of losing it: Our Lord said to St. Peter: "Satan has desired to have you that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith shall not fail." Every Mass is Christ praying for us that our faith shall not fail. Hanging on to our faith is "hard work," but it is worth all the suffering on earth to hang on to it. Parents do all they can to help their children keep their faith by taking them to Mass every Sunday. There is nothing better or as good as bringing up children and giving them the best possible chance of being spiritually beautiful. If we say only one prayer a day; the morning offering, which goes like this, "O Jesus, through the Immaculate heart of Mary, I offer you all my words, thoughts, actions and sufferings today, in union with your divine heart in the Holy Mass," it would be enough. Our prayer throughout the day can be simply offering oneself to do God's will and to offer everything you do as a prayer; for example, offer your sleep, offer each meal you eat, offer whatever you suffer and the work that you do. Actually, this kind of prayer brings you closer to God than anything you can say or think because it allows God to hold you in His arms and surround you with His love. Each day, and every minute of every day, is given to us by God. No matter how insignificant some things may seem to us or how annoying, all are a part of God's will for us. If we look at them in this way, we are able to carry our burdens with enthusiasm that brings joy to the heart. "My yoke is sweet and my burden light" said Christ. Let's pray for each other!

Sister Francelle