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3 Questions for Advent
In response to yesterday’s post on Advent and compassion, my nun Sister Rose Carmel shared a bit of wisdom that she had just received:
Here are three questions Fr. Helfrich gave us to ask ourselves for Advent. I’d like to share it with all our friends on the post.
- What have you given up on? (Not “What are you giving up?”)
- What are you looking forward to?
- What are you about? (The question asked three men hauling wheelbarrows. The first says “Can’t you see I’m hauling rocks?!” The second: “I’m earning food for my wife and children.” The third: “I’m building a cathedral.”)
Blessings on all for a fruitful Advent.
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{ 13 comments }
What have I given up on? I am trying to give up on tepidly trusting in God and, instead, embracing his will always with intimacy and devotion. What am I looking forward to? To a time when the differences among people, whether color, religion, sexual orientation, et al, will be seen, not as sins or roadblocks, but for what they truly are: manifestations of the wonder and glory of a God who detests sameness. What am I about? As a teacher, I pray I will always be about bringing the first two questions into reality.
What have I given up on? I have “tried” to give up on using my mind too much in matters of faith. I’ve been attempting to operate more from the heart. As a heady person, it’s not always easy. What am I looking forward to? All the wonderful events during Advent and the Christmas seasons. I enjoy the various prayer services, the Advent wreath, the baking cookies, buying gifts, decorating the house and spending lots of valuable times with friends and family. I love going to the monastery for midnight (ok 10:00) mass on Christmas eve. It’s so intimate and peaceful. One can really connect especially well with the Lord in that setting. What am I about? I seek to live a balanced life in as holy a way as I can. I seek to love God and others and to help where and when I can. I try to stay calm and sane in moments of trial!
rose
1. I have given up on letting my life’s quality depend on circumstances out of my reach. It’s the most useless way of living. I am responsible for the quality of my life and no one else is. God has given me the power to use that responsibility so it would be rather ungrateful not to use it.
2. Nothing. I live in the now. Looking forward to things is so unrealistic; it’s like completely withdrawing from all that matters: this very moment.
3. I let others answer that question.
I’ve given up on achieving perfection, on that elusive, compelling, and ultimately impossible thing we call “normal”. I’m looking forward to embracing both the poetry and rugged prose of life … and savoring every moment. I strive to seek God in all things and to be about transformation — working with myself and others toward become most fully who we are as created by God.
I have given up on making long term plans for my life and instead am listening to what God has planned for my life. I am looking forward to being a teacher once I graduate. I am also looking forward to being a foster Mom. I am about trying to help children discover themselves as individuals and about nurturing their curiosity about the world and everything in it. I am about taking a stand against injustice, wether it be racism, poverty or violence. I am about learning that you are never too old to learn and about helping others learn that as well. I am about being a role model for the people who have had a lot of obstacles and hard knocks. I overcame a lot to get where I am today and by trusting in God and asking Jesus to help me with my crosses I didn’t just survive, I thrived and am blossoming.
1) I’m trying to give up figuring out with my head why this “all or nothing” hunger I have for God will never be satisfied with lukewarm half-measures;
2) I’m looking forward to the day when I can say a joyful and committed “yes!” to God, in whatever way that takes form;
3) I’m just trying to follow the Light in my soul, one day at a time.
I am trying to give up on worrying about the Future, and just letting God help me enjoy the now and not look to the Future. I will get there someday. My friend reminded me that We all have to wait for Christmas and it arrives with more joy while waiting,and remember that your Christmas will arrive at the right time. She is referring to the fact that I am planning on applying to the Dominicans of Mary for 2011 and I am wanting to go now,but God still has some growing for me to do. Also, Trying my best to give God all my suffering and not holding on to it. Ever since, I got back from the discernment retreat, I have been noticing the devil working in my life and it is scary.
I am looking forward to spending Christmas with my family. Mostly, looking forward to midnight mass (10) on Christmas Eve. Meditating on the birth of Jesus and trying to picture it. I love seeing the little kids dressed up as Mary,Joseph and the wise men. In addition, I love the smell of Christmas cooking and Christmas Trees. I love hearing the jingle bells and seeing the excitement of my 7yr old brother on Christmas morning. I will also be catching up on reading Scripture and I am making my prayer life more intense.
Merry Christmas and Prayers to everyone.
I am trying to give up on self and allow Jesus to continually empty me of myself. I look forward to living in Jesus’ presence more and becoming the instrument of joy He has called me to be. What am I about? I am about becoming an emptied vessel of joy for Jesus. I want to become so emptied of self that others are drawn to Jesus through me as His instrument. God bless, Mary Jacinta
i have given up on trying to be in control, on trying to convince god to do what i want instead of what god wants. i have been so incredibly sick for so long–seven weeks of fever, three of sepsis, constant bone pain–and i have been begging god to fix this, fix that. just yesterday i stopped. my prayer was, “just be with me.” i am not certain i will not try to regain control today when the pain wears me down, but for now, i have given that control up to god.
i look forward to every good minute spent with the people i love.
i am about making certain nothing important is left unsaid, that everyone i love is aware of it, and that all resentments are left behind.
Wow, Marla. A hard journey you’ve had. Chronic pain is a hard thing to understand and to pray through. It’s so hard not to try to control God, to want healing, to fight the tiredness and hurting and loss. Hang in there. God is the God of pain and suffering as much as the God of light and joy. Jesus understands what pain is, the hurting, the tiredness, the longing for something different, wanting the cup to pass. Let us support you, pray for you, hold you up in God’s love. May God give you the strength to trust and to be.
I am thinking about being a nun,To be closer to God tohave a storger prayer life and a better sever.The only thing about that I am concered about is my age I am 50 years of age… I am wounding if I am to old to become a nun. well please feel free to send me an e-mail…
Hi Paula, Thank you for writing. Do check out this section here as it has some suggestions. Let us know if additional questions or thoughts arise! http://anunslife.org/how-to-become-a-catholic-nun/#comment-51497
Blessings,
Sister Julie
thank you, robyn. thank you very much.