Make religious life a habit!

I crack myself up. No, I don’t wear a habit. I’m not a nun. I don’t even wear a mantilla to Mass. A mantilla is one of those lace doily head coverings that went the way of the wind in the spirit of Vatican II. It says in 1 Corinthians 11:15, that a woman’s long hair is her glory. I find it more a matter of humility. If you’ve seen the raggedy mop I usually wear, you’d probably agree. This isn’t about my bad hair days, though. It’s about trying to live a life of holiness.

I feel compelled to share another story from my youth. I grew up in a parish run by Redemptorist priests and Sisters of the Holy Name of Jesus and Mary. The sisters taught me many wonderful things, like how to play the piano and violin and how to diagram a sentence of any length and complexity. I am a professional musician much to their credit, and I can still diagram like a maniac. Although I do cringe at some of the things I put them through. Like the time I dropped all of my quarters on the floor and we were busted playing blackjack in the back of the classroom during an inside recess. Or the time I shot this poor woman in the face with a squirt gun while she waited at the traffic light with her car window down. Of course I went sprinting into the school and she must have called and reported me as soon as she reached her destination. Yikes! What was I thinking?! That was not a pleasant announcement from the principal over the school intercom. Thankfully, no one ratted me out.  I really do feel badly about those things. No matter what kind of mischief we were causing, the sisters always lived their vocation with joy and patience. I was so intrigued by their lifestyle. They were totally devoted to God and made so many sacrifices to teach us kids. I wanted to live like them. I wanted to be a nun. They were wonderful models of Christian charity. I remember them telling me that I would certainly know if God was calling me to religious life. It would be as clear as a bell. I waited and waited. I put so much stress on wanting the call to the religious life of a sister, that I missed the part about marriage being a vocation as well. I figured marriage was what you did if you didn’t get the real call. I didn’t get the real call. Well, I didn’t get the call I wanted to hear at the time. In my own misguided mind I interpreted that as I wasn’t good enough. Oh, I couldn’t have been more wrong and I couldn’t have been more heartbroken. Then I misbehaved even more  because I figured it didn’t matter! Thank heavens for mercy and redemption!

The most amazing thing is that the sisters were right about being able to recognize God’s call when it finally came. I thought it was only for priests and nuns, but it also really was for married life as well. I heard Him so loud and clear the day I saw my husband for the first time. His voice was so clear in fact, that I had to stop what I was doing and look around for who I thought was talking to me. I will never forget that moment. I will also never forget what it was that I was to be listening for and hearing for the rest of my life. Let me be very clear: WE ARE ALL CALLED TO LIVE A RELIGIOUS LIFE! In living a life of service to our spouse and children, we demonstrate our faith. Being kind and patient when we want to scream is part of living a religious life. Putting aside our needs with joy in our hearts because we know we are providing someone else with happiness is part of living a religious life. The bottom line is that we are all called to live in imitation of Jesus Christ through His Gospel message, service and sacrifice for the benefit of others.  Being virtuous – generous, charitable, humble, forgiving, prayerful, sacrificial.

The Catechism (2204) refers to the Christian family as “. . . a specific revelation and realization of ecclesial communion, and for this reason it can and should be called a domestic church. It is a community of faith, hope, and charity; it assumes singular importance in the Church, as is evident in the New Testament.”

Living a religious life means receiving the Sacraments frequently, like going to daily Mass as often as possible and cleansing our souls through Confession at least once a month if not more. Make your morning offering. Always say grace. Pray the Angelus. Learn how to pray the Liturgy of the Hours or even easier, subscribe to the Magnificat. Pray the Rosary. Spend an hour praying in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Give up using all artificial contraception. Open your heart to your spouse the way Christ’s heart was opened on the cross. Turn off the television and the radio. Make sure you are listening. Make sure you can hear Him. He has important work for you to do, even in the everyday activities you do in your home. You can do your household chores with joy knowing that the ones you love will find comfort in a clean and warm environment. I say all of this from the perspective of a wife and mother. I know there are many other ways to live a life of service by caring for the needs of others outside of our homes. Right now our focus is on teaching our children to live a life of service so that when they’re grown, they will go out into the world and help others by using their God given talents and gifts.

Don’t think for one second that because you don’t wear a habit or a collar that the expectation for holiness is any less for you. It isn’t. Many of the saints were married with families. Like St. Therese, they did ordinary things with extraordinary love.  That’s what will make you a saint, too. Is it difficult? You bet! We are saturated with a message that is contrary to what I have just written, but I believe that heaven awaits and is attainable! I have hope and I will keep doing my best to love and serve the Lord. At this point, I should probably mention again, the benefits of frequent Confession. I want to make sure you are aware that I’m aware of my own serious shortcomings in my continued attempt at holiness. Saying it is easy. Living it is really hard. We have to help each other with encouragement and prayer.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is a good model for Roman Catholics living in America. As a young girl, she helped raise the  younger children in her family. She married her husband and they had five children of their own. She was a devout Episcopalian but converted to the Catholic faith.  In addition to raising her family, she spent countless hours and all of her money educating and serving the needs of the poor. After her husband died, she even started her own religious community, the Sisters of Charity of St. Joseph.  The sisters are still active today, teaching children and helping the poor.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, model of charity and faithfulness, pray for us!