The part of our vow formula that means so much to me is the line, “To follow Christ.” In order to “follow” someone, you have to be able to trust him or her. When you trust someone, you place yourself in a very vulnerable situation. You have to open your heart and decide to follow this person wherever he or she goes, without knowing ahead of time where he or she will go or where he or she will lead you. This sort of trust is only possible in love. Not a selfish love that only desires to receive. Trust is only possible in a true love that is willing to give without thinking about what I will “get out of it”. Only true love can suffer without knowing why. Only true love can obey when it doesn’t make sense. Only true love can trust and follow without seeing the path, and only true love never gives up.
Recently, I found a reflection I had written during my first retreat as a postulant. The last conference that had been given was on Spiritual Motherhood. As I approached the 4 th Station where Jesus meets His Sorrowful Mother, this is what struck my heart: What is the sacrificial love of a mother? It is the self-sacrifice made to love her children. Mary’s self-sacrifice to be there with Christ, her Son, in His passion was the selfless love that united her with Him. Her heart was pierced with 7 swords in the agony of watching her beloved Son endure a cross that He did not deserve, but which He embraced for the love of the Father and mankind. Could she not have said to Jesus, “You don’t have to do this, there are other ways. Do you know how much pain You are causing me and those who love you?” She knew He could have chosen any other way t...
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