A listener wonders what it means to "unite our suffering with Christ's," but is afraid to ask her pastor. The Nuns discuss!
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Sister Rejane
This Random Nun Clip is brought to you by A Nun's Life Ministry.
Sister Maxine
This is Ask Sister. We're here in Columbus, Ohio on a Motherhouse Road Trip with the Dominican Sisters of Peace. We're delighted to be joined by Sister Mattie Sterner.
Sister Mattie
Thank you.
Sister Maxine
And Sister June Fitzgerald.
Sister June
Thank you.
Sister Maxine
We have another question that came in from Andie, in New York. And she asks, "I often hear my pastor talking about uniting our suffering with that of Christ, or uniting our prayers. Yet he never explains how to do this. I don't want to ask him because I probably should know. So can you help me understand? Thank you. and God bless."
Sister June
Well, Andie, thank you for that question. And don't be afraid to ask. That's how we learn: by asking questions, by seeking. And St. Dominic taught us to always study in order to be able to share with others the Word of God, to preach with others. There is a lot of suffering in the world. And in order to deal with that, we need to go to prayer, we need to be firmly grounded in the realization that God is with us. And no matter what we're suffering, no matter what we're going through, that God is always there. And don't be afraid to ask the questions.
Sister Mattie
When I first read that question that she was really afraid to ask because she probably should know it -- I like to think of question as being so important to the faith life. We're all on a quest. And how do you move through a quest or beyond where you are in that quest if you don't question? So that is just such an important part of growing, and developing as a human person. And I know when I was younger, we were kind of raised to live with unquestioned answers. And now we know we live with a lot of unanswered questions. And so the questions to me are the best part of the journey.
Sister Maxine
It doesn't mean that you're struggling with doubt.
Sister Mattie
No. And I mean, if you didn't doubt, you'd never question, so you better doubt. But again, if you go back to the early days, doubt and denial were the same thing. And we realize now that doubt is just taking us farther on in our journey. So if you take the word "quest" in "question," I think it makes a lot of sense to use the two of them together. And that should allay a lot of our fears. I mean, nobody has all the answers. And besides, the same answer doesn't fit all questions. So. And then people think when they ask the question, they're going to be determined to be ignorant. And it's not that at all, it's I'm taking life seriously. Therefore, I have a question about it.
Sister Maxine
That's a good Dominican stance too. I mean, to ask questions. Really dig into it.
Sister Julie
Well, I think sometimes, when we're at that point of having a question, and we're formulating it, the act of speaking it to someone, especially someone who, to us, may represent that world that we want to be part of, it can be terrifying because the act of voicing it is itself such a vulnerable state, because as you were saying, it's like when we're able to ask the question, it's like we are already giving context to whatever it is that we're feeling inside. So there's like a little fear and trembling in bringing the question up, because you might realize that you are on the journey, that you are on that quest. Yeah,
Sister Mattie
I always taught my students when I was teaching, even at the adult level, the seed of your answer is in the question. Once you could articulate it, you've already begun to find the answer. And you just go deeper and deeper until it becomes more and more clear. I don't know if that's helpful to Andie in New York or not, but I think we should not be afraid to grow and that's, that's what question is all about.
Sister Rejane
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This transcript has been lightly edited for readability.
