Catherine's Cafe Vocation Blog

Making a lifetime commitment in today’s time can seem like a very daunting and frightening thing to do.   In a world where everything is instance and commitments made, many times do not last forever.   I was faced with this reality of making a lifetime commitment about three weeks before I was due to make my final profession of vows.   Doing this would mean that I would be vowing obedience which included poverty and chastity “even unto death.” I had to question myself and ask if I was really ready to make this huge commitment.   In my mind and heart I went over what this really meant for me.   No marriage, no children, no sex, not having my own money, living with others I would not necessarily choose to live with.   These were some of the things I was letting go of.   Then why did I want to make this commitment?   I freely wanted to make this commitment firstly, because I felt that this is what God wanted for me and that God knew me bet...

This week we start the season of Advent. Every year I commit to set aside more time for quiet prayer during this season of anticipation and waiting and every year it doesn’t happen. Holiday celebrations get scheduled, last minute shopping looms and the everyday details of life need to be attended to. As I approached the season this year a couple different quotes have taken up long-term residence in my head… “What good is it that Jesus was born 2,000 years ago if he is not born now in your heart” (Meister Eckhart) and a song we sang at a previous parish “let me be your Bethlehem”. This year my intention is to reflect throughout the day how I am being Bethlehem for God. How am I preparing for God to touch the world through me? I know that readiness will not come overnight which is why we are given a whole season to prepare. But actually, God already is using me to touch the world…so my preparing will just be to become a clearer vessel. What are you doing to prepare in this se...