A flood of letters

Yesterday my daughter brought in the mail. I was sorting through and found these letters addressed to me thatjust kept coming...six letters in all. I was astounded. I read each one. They were from the sisters at St. Martin de Tours convent. Each one offered support, prayers and warm wishes. One person told me about how she prayed the rosary and at one station she looked up to see the face of Jesus and she said she saw my face too...she said she saw both Jesus and I carrying the cross. That we both hadlistened to God's call and followed through even though we both knew it would not be easy. I was so touched because at one point on this journey my spiritual director, who is well versed in the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius, told me the third week of the exercises was about walking with Jesus to Calvery. She said it is just the natural consequence of following the Gospel...the cross. I just found this sisters words comforting in a strange kind of way. I guess I thought, "Well, at least I am in good company."

Actually, I realize more and more that this is really not a huge deal. This whole action, trial and sentence is really not about me at all. I just happen to be one of the folks walking along the road. Honestly there are really no big deals. Just little steps by little steps that we all take as we decide to follow this Gospel.

Once when I had just entered the SSND community, a sister, who knew I had this burnig desire to live out the Gospels, wrote to me. I will never forget what she wrote, she said, "May the Beatitudes you dream about be etched in your heart." That was over 20 years , yet it remains my strongest desire though I really can't say why.