Extraordinary Women: Sisters in Ukraine
My name is Julia, from Ukraine, a land that has suffered a lot: the Soviet Revolution, Great Famine, wars… Many of us think that suffering has no end. But I have experienced love, which triumphs over evil and brings hope. That love brought me here.
I always prayed for a good husband, children and a great family. God heard my prayers and I was given Jesus as my spouse. Now I live as Sister Clara with the other nuns in the contemplative order. Our vocation is the perpetual adoration of God through prayer and work, which we do conscientiously, because we believe that small things lead to big ones. Even if our work isn’t nice or exciting, for us it is beautiful because we offer it to God. Though we may seem to be invisible to the world, we pray for all people every day and ask God for His blessings. This is our vocation. Thanks to your help we are able to pray for God’s grace for the world. Thank you Aid to the Church in Need and the benefactors!
REFLECT
“Our vocation is the perpetual adoration of God through prayer and work, which we do conscientiously, because we believe that small things lead to big ones. Even if our work isn’t nice or exciting, for us it is beautiful because we offer it to God. Though we may seem to be invisible to the world, we pray for all people every day and ask God for His blessings. This is our vocation.”
1. What are your thoughts on contemplative religious, who pray in quiet seclusion for the needs of the Church and of the whole world?
Even though they are widely disregarded by many people today, who see them as doing “nothing useful“ in society. Father Werenfried van Straaten, the founder of Aid to the Church in Need, knew better and has found beautiful imagery with which to describe their hidden ministry which I would like to share with you.
He compares them with “Pure snow, high in the mountains in the sunlight of God‘s love. Snow that melts, disappears and is seemingly useless. But see! Little rivulets come rushing down, growing broader, merging together into foaming torrents, into waterfalls which drive power stations, machines, factories and entire industries, conjuring sparkling seas of light and flowing on, transforming arid plains into fertile fields and filling a grey world with trees, plants, grain, flowers, fruit and beauty, and carrying shiploads of food and everything else needed for a life of human dignity to distant shores…“ This, he adds, “is the essence of all contemplative life, of all resting quietly in the presence of God, all loving listening to the Word of God.”
2. What do you think of the analogy in the last paragraph?
3. Do you think prayer is powerful and can change the world?
4. During Lent one of the three pillars of Lent is prayer – how is your prayer life going?
PRAYER
God of Peace, bearer of hope,
we seek your help for the people of the Middle East.
Quiet the clamour of war and guide us towards peace.
Where there is hatred and division sow seeds of
calm and openness.
Where there is destruction help us to rebuild.
Where children are crying bring an end to tears.
Shelter your people’s and protect them.
Guide them and keep them from harm.
Show us how to break down the barriers of history
and fear and breathe whispers of hope.
Amen.
Source: Robert / Aid to the Church in Need UK
ACT
Donate items (in good condition) you don’t need to a St Vincent de Paul store