A Letter to the Mercedarian Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament
Dear Sisters of the Blessed Sacraments,
Thank you for your gracious hospitality. As I mentioned in a previous post, visiting you was a gift from God. Thank you, Madre Jeanette, for responding to my email back in June. Part of me thought you would not reply because that had been the case with another order, but now I know it was part of God’s plan. Hance, my stay with you all further confirmed this. Our God is so good and grand!
All twelve of you captivating souls have given me much hope. Your contagious smile, selflessness, devotion, obedience, and charisma showed me that living in a harmonious community is a beautiful possibility.
Good things come from having a schedule focused on prayer. It reminded me that all we do should glorify the Lord and not interfere with our duties as disciples of Christ. I specially loved your adoration prayer-song. I was overjoyed to find it on Youtube. Thank you for your many gifts!
Loving God is our goal as faithful Christians.
I’ve learned that being a religious sister is far from a dull lifestyle. You are all very much human, and in that humanity, you love the Lord. After all, it’s something all Christians should do, but could it be that religious life facilitates? No, I must remember that the sacraments of the Church do just that; they remind us of the commands we must follow as part of Christ’s kingdom despite our specific vocation. Again, thank you for teaching me that being called to religious life doesn’t mean being more holy than others.
Yes, God calls us to seek sanctity. But as someone in the beginning stages of discerning God’s will, it’s hard to realize God is inviting me to be with him in eternity. It doesn’t help to live in a society that only values God once a week. But thanks to your openness, I know that you each went through a transition from not being sure of the meaning of life to knowing that all that matters is that God loves you and wants to be in a fruitful and freeing relationship. I find hope in that.
The way you glorify our Lord is inspiring. Our God is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament, and I feel like many Catholics are quick to neglect that. Jesus is with us always, even more so in the Eucharist. Thank you for teaching me more ways of worshiping our Lord.
Mark 10:29-31
Thank you all for showing me the fruits of sacrifice. It was beautiful witnessing Family Sunday as it helped me understand that our biological families are as crucial as before joining the convent. Though it’s hard to let go of the things we are used to, Jesus tells us, “Truly I tell you, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
Your hope and reliance on the Lord for healing are admirable. Our Lord’s joy is contagious, and you show it well. You live out your faith and call others into communion. You help others feel welcomed. And these are just a few of the graces I noticed Our Lord Jesus is giving you as a result of imitating Our Lady’s fiat.
Furthermore, you taught me the strength of our love for the Lord helps overcome our attachments to material things. Your constant positivity helped me better understand how to enjoy the little things in life. Moreover, even when things appear rotten, there’s always something salvageable — I’ve learned to apply that beyond habanero peppers and tomatoes!
Madre Jeanette and Madre Isa, I understand why the Holy Spirit called you to be mothers of the Mercedarian Sisters. You have a tremendous gift of nurturing, and your patience and compassion are like a magnet to the love of our Lord. Gracias por su sabiduria y cariño! (Estoy anciosa por probar sus pozolos, Madre Isa!)
I hold these and many other memories in my heart. I appreciate your intercessions and know that I pray for each of you.
Praise be Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, now and forever!
P.S. I hope every person that comes in touch with you sisters may yearn for God’s love, even more than I did.