Final Profession
Saturday, Sr. Leslie made her final vows. It was such a glorious celebration with great music, beautiful colors in the church, a crowd of people--everything was wonderful. But I think what really gives me goose bumps is that a young, vivacious woman is brave enough to commit herself to God completely and forever. It reminded me again of what I believe but try to believe more and more everyday--God provides. I know that God will be faithful in providing whatever is needed for Leslie and all of us to be faithful to our commitments.

Church was great but the party after was just as wonderful. There were a lot of young people there and the dancing went on and on. Even those less endowed with grace and agility were up and moving. God was there in the joy and the hope and the abandon with which we all celebrated.

The gospel reading was about the visitation and I thought about how the mutual concern of women of all ages for each other was so evident in the celebrations. The word of God is growing in each of us. The spirit we share recognizes the face of God's Providential care in each. Our spirits are magnifying the Lord.

Jeremiah is Right On
Jeremiah hit home for me today. I know what it is like to have great expectations and then discover that I had set my sights on something that was not the ultimate good, that was not God. Then I feel duped. Maybe Jeremiah was convinced that if he really said the things God wanted him to say, no matter how difficult, people would respond and would respect him. What he discovered was that being a prophet was neither glorious not successful in human terms.

Peter learned that too. Today, he was probably thinking that Jesus had given him the keys and that life would be one long stretch of glory. Well, responsibility but also respect and success. He did not like to hear that there would be moments of suffering, misunderstanding, etc. But such is the life of the follower of Christ.

Jeremiah lived long before Christ, but he is a sort of prototype of what the Messiah would be. One whose success is not measured in human terms.

So what does all this have to do with vocation. First, vocation is a search for our true self and the word of God that dwells in the very center of our being. We are called to live that word no matter where it leads. Second, following our vocation is a great joy but it is not always the easiest way in terms of comfort or what the culture in which we live calls "success."

I pray that I will be faithful and that I will continue to experience the joy of responding in both moments of pain and moments of delight.