‘Light’ emitted by consecrated leads world to Jesus

Story and photo by Beth Donze
 

The biblical pair’s “watchful waiting” for Christ, described in the Gospel of Luke, was examined by Dominican Sister of Peace Suzanne Brauer during her reflection at the Feb. 8 prayer service celebrating the World Day for Consecrated Life.
 

About 150 religious priests, sisters and brothers gathered inside the gym at St. Mary’s Dominican High School to pray for themselves, their co-workers in ministry and for those who will assume their roles in future generations.
 

Watchful beacons of Christ
 

“Both Simeon and Anna are presented as models of what it means to wait, what it means to recognize Jesus and what it means to inspire others – namely, Mary and Joseph, and all who were awaiting the Messiah,” Sister Suzanne said.
 

In Luke’s Gospel, Simeon recognized the Child Jesus as the one “destined for the rise and fall of many in Israel” and as “a sign of contradiction.” He tells Mary that her soul will be pierced in the process.
 

“These words come from a man who has prayed long and hard to know God and to know God’s plans,” Sister Suzanne said. “He knew the situation of his times and longed for a Messiah who could change things.”
 

Anna, an 84-year-old widow, also was waiting for the redeemer. She fasts and prays in the temple in hopeful anticipation.
 

“When she saw the child, she gave thanks to God” and proclaimed that our redemption would be through Jesus, Sister Suzanne noted.
 

“As women and men religious, are we not called to do the same by our words and by our lives?” she asked. “Like Simeon and Anna, we recognize that the Lord is among us. Through prayer and compassion we are preaching peace with our lives. We have cause to celebrate our life, (and) we await the future with hope.”
 

Sister Suzanne said the men and women religious who came before today’s religious, including those who had walked the streets of New Orleans – St. Frances Cabrini, Mother Henriette Delille, Mother Margaret Grouche and the Ursuline Sisters – also were attuned to their savior, Jesus, and devoted their lives to ways in which they could bring that Good News to the world.
 

“Like Anna and Simeon, they waited for God’s word, they prayed, then they dared to respond to God’s call,” Sister Suzanne said. “We stand on their shoulders as we strive to live out the charism entrusted to them and to us – right here, right now in this archdiocese. We have an obligation to them and to our people today to continue the story as long as we can.”
 

Same calling, new ‘lenses’
 

As clear as their callings are, however, men and women religious must continue to “read the signs of the times” so they can minister and preach as effectively as possible, Sister Suzanne said. She said there still are many men and women who want to pursue vocations in consecrated life, despite widely held notions that religious life is “dying out.” 
 

“They are creating a cross-congregational  culture,” Sister Suzanne said of today’s young discerners. “They love and respect their older sisters and brothers and want to carry on the gift of their congregations’ charisms in service of the church and those in need, (but) they see the world through different lenses, so they are going to have to help shape their future while keeping the essentials of prayer, study, ministry and common life.”
 

Sparkers of faith

 

Archbishop Gregory Aymond concluded the prayer service by thanking the consecrated for bringing others to the Lord through their numerous ministries.
 

The archbishop said religious sisters and brothers, who number more than 400 in our local archdiocese, not only are “light” in our world, but very often are “the lighter” for those longing to know God.
 

“God humbly uses you to light that fire in the hearts of others – or perhaps to fan the flame so it becomes greater – and that’s a privilege,” he said. “All (your) charisms together truly do build the church and foster the kingdom of God among us!”
 

Beth Donze can be reached at bdonze@clarionherald.org.