Happy Thanksgiving!
We asked our novitiate sisters to share what makes them thankful, and the answer is - many things!
“I am thankful for little things, and thankful for big things. In the little, I am thankful for letters from friends far away, for fresh air and sunsets in the clear autumn sky. In the bigger, I am thankful for the hearts that surround me, for my sisters in their love for God, for those who know better than I how to follow Him, and finally, for Him, who never leaves us nor forsakes us and takes the myriad little things and turns them into a life.”
“I am grateful for the providential care and love of God. Since I arrived at the monastery it’s been a beautiful experience to look back with graced eyes on the course of my life and come to understand something—certainly not everything, but something, and more than I ever have before—of how God has been working in my life from the beginning, long before I had the slightest inkling of a religious vocation, to prepare my heart to enter religious life. It’s incredible to reflect on the personal care, the gentleness, and the wisdom with which He shepherds each and every one of us. I’m also grateful for the support and prayers of the Communion of Saints, especially those Saints in what I think about as “my inner circle of Saint friends,” the four or five Saints I especially relate to and feel close to. When I entered the monastery, I knew I’d have the prayers and help of the sisters here, and of friends, family, and the community’s benefactors, and I knew I’d be grateful for that support, but the real support I’ve received from the Saints in heaven has been a beautiful surprise. Whether it’s allowing their lives and their love to challenge and inspire me, feeling moved to ask for someone’s particular intercession and experiencing the help their prayers bring, or coming across a particular quote from a particular Saint at the perfect time...The Communion of Saints is a real and true support base for all Christians, a wonderful aspect of the truth of the faith that I used very much to overlook. I’m grateful to be learning not to overlook their powerful help.”
“One of the things I am most grateful for in the monastery is the example of my sisters. Yesterday, there was a charitable act I thought I could do but I made an excuse instead. A few seconds later, a sister whose temperament probably made this act harder for her than for me came and did it. If I had not seen her I might have complacently moved on feeling justified in my excuse. Instead, I was inspired by the freedom in her action and resolved to do better next time. Last week, I walked past a sister who had stopped working briefly and was looking up with a beautifully prayerful smile. For the rest of the day, I kept remembering that smile and thanking God for her witness of continuous prayer. So frequently, when I struggle with a vice or feel discouraged about growing in virtue, God uses my sisters to show me how willing He is to help and how beautiful it is to respond to His grace.”
“I am thankful for the family who formed me, the community who welcomed me, my sisters who encourage and give example to me, and most of all, for the God who never fails me in his many abundant gifts of grace!”
“I have to say that I’m really thankful for a number of things:
I’m thankful for God calling me to this life. My family and friends who support me. The ability of supporting them and those who contact us through our prayers. The surprises that God gives us each day. How He helps me grow and when the difficult times have passed I can look back with awe and wonder at what He has done. The gift of nature in our enclosure. The examples of love the sisters give and receive from one another. Their creativity in the work they do.
I have many more things to be thankful for and to reflect on. Each one brings a smile to my face. It’s such a gift in general to do these types of reflections and remember that God’s hand is in all things. He gently guides and chastens, pushes and renews our strength throughout the years. To be more thankful for the things we have is a great blessing.”
