On 29th through 31, I attended a retreat for people who are discerning religious life and priesthood which was organised by Mosgn Göran Degen Seminary Rector and Leader of the Vocations Team. Along with, were Sr Elisabeth Bunning and Michelle Mope Anderson. Approximately, we were around twelve; four women and eight men. It was such a wonderful retreat.
Infront of the Birgitta sisters cloister
Personally, the retreat was well organised in the sense that it gave the participants an opportunity to not only learn how to hear God's voice, but also how to respond. As a matter of fact, the silence and even the walk with the vocation directress were one of the aspects which opened my eyes to even little details which I usually consider as being of no significance.
"The joy of service" was the theme of the retreat entailing how one should respond the call with the joy of serving and serving in joy (So cool). Often times, many think that a call to religious life for instance, is the call to be miserable, boring and sad. On contrary, one should focus on the essence of the calling; the purpose, who calls and why. If there is a missing link between the "the call" and "service", the religious life becomes rather a myth. Yes "service" and "joy" is the magic behind a religious life. Joy is not necessary happiness, but Joy; enjoying to serve God and souls amidst pains, crosses, etc, etc, JOY,JOY such a beautiful word.(This reminds me of a song which a Benedictine nun taught us in class when I was in Secondary school. The song goes like this;
Joy, joy my heart is full of joy*2
My saviour dear, is ever near
that's the reason why my heart is full of Joy.
One of the things that struck me was the whole issue of listening to God's voice. How do we Listen? This is one of the big questions in discerning religious life. How do God speak? Does he come like a fire same as he did to Moses, or in soft voice as it happened to Prophet Elijah? Adrienne Von Speyr ( From the book; THEY FOLLOWED HIS CALL: Vocation and Asceticism, revised edition of 1986) writes that "God Calls and a man has only to listen. The ear which God the father has given man is capable of receiving the call that goes out from God.
But it seems that it is always a long road from the ear to the will and to love. God calls in in scripture, God calls in Sermons God calls also in every prayer"(page 13-14). The problem with most of us who are discerning the voice of God; especially me,tend to talk more than listening, as a result, our constant struggle has been wondering here and there searching for His audible voice.
Any way, we were told to spend our precious times in listening the voice of God and as Michelle puts it "You listen with all your body; does it burn, any fear? anxiety, inner peace and so on. She added that "If God calls you to do any of his works,He will as well give you all the resources you need such as health etc, so one needs to open oneself to feel how God is speaking to him or her." So in essence, we have to try being attentive and listen, as God speaks to us.
We also got an opportunity to view a film "The Call" about the religious community; Family of Jesus the Healer which added another special spicy in the programme. After the Retreat, My friend Ieva and I walked around Stockholm just to enjoy God's creation and also talk about vocations. At the end we came up with 8 ways to hear God's voice for we believe that vocation is like a seed so it needs pruning, water, manure etc. I added few things and 've come up with ten tenets which are;
1. Attending daily mass
2. Receiving the holy Eucharist daily
3. Frequent confession
4.A daily prayer to the Holy Spirit
5.Devotion to our Lady and Daily recitation of the Holy Rosary
6.Daily scripture reading
7.Holy Hour
8.Reading the lives of the saints
9.Deepen your prayer life, Please get a spiritual directorate
10. Solitude; Set time of silence just for you and for Him, get to know the one who's calling you.
By the way, it happened that in Sweden they have Halloween a week later than the usual Halloween which we all know (a day before all saints day so I couldn't fulfil my promise, Soooooooory) we all know. So, basically I did nothing!
All done in love,
Piccola - Marie of the Eucharist.
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