After my vows, my ‘yes’ to God, while I am writing my reflection, I am reminded by Mother Cabrini’s words word from Journal of a Trusting Heart: “I will try to consider myself the servant of all, and treat them with respectful affection, reverence and love”.
The meaning and purpose of my life is to serve God and others in this world. Because my life is a free gift from God, who is Love. God is love. When I think of the word Love, the first thoughts that come to my mind are caring for others, serving others with love, encouraging others, praying for one another.
The most important thing in my life is to learn how to give out love, like Jesus did with me.
~ Sr. Berhane
“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all of its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.’’
1 Corinthians 12:12
This scripture calls me to reflect on my own gifts and offerings and also those of others, and how they uniquely contribute to a whole community, which must, in turn, contribute to the goodness of all people.
It is a joy to share my gratitude with you. At this time of professing my Perpetual Vows, I am so grateful for taking this new step in my religious life. I have received many significant graces, which are very important in my spiritual journey: joy, faith, hope, strength, and especially, my forever ‘Yes’ to Jesus and to the Institute of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, which inspires me to be faithful in my commitment to God, and helps me to serve others with love and kindness. Also, I am inspired by the Heart of Jesus and the Cabrinian Charism to deepen myself in Cabrini Spirituality, and to be willing to walk according to the Will of God – this gives me joy and happiness in my mission.
Grant me, O Lord, to see everything now with new eyes, to discern and test the spirits that help me read the signs of times, to relish the things that are yours, and to communicate them to others. Give me clarity of understanding. Thank you.
~ Sr. Aynalem
I want to start what I am going to share with you by remembering the quotation that has meant a lot for me the day I took my vows: Jesus asks Peter twice if he loves him, and again the third time he asks if he loves him. Thinking about this, I heard that Jesus is lowering to Peter’s human condition, that in front of this Love the only thing that Peter can do , is to Love Him.
My present mission is to serve in an Eductional Institution , the Thecnical Institute “La Immaculada”. In front of the COVID19 reality, that has come to change our way of living, our way of undertaking our mission, the Holy Spirit is also promoting other new ways to reveal God’s Love to humanity. In this reality I have better understood the different situations around me, the ones that are shared with me, not to solve them, but that people could feel followed and they can relieve themselves of their troubles. My prayer is the best I can offer them, and in all this I have listened to what Mother Cabrini says: holiness does not consist of doing great things, but in doing the small ones well.
~ Sr. Juana
My name is Sr. Asnakech Assefa. I am a Missionary Sister of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and I recently professed my perpetual vows in New York City at the Mother Cabrini Shrine with two of my MSC sisters.
I was born and raised in the southern part of Ethiopia in 1990, and in 2007 joined the MSCs, making my first vows in 2013. With joy and great gratitude, I would like to thank God, who is the Source of all things, especially for the gift of my religious vocation, and who called me to share and live our Cabrinian charism, founded by the most loving Heart of Jesus through our beloved foundress, St Frances Cabrini. She left a great example to us, her daughters, of loving Jesus alone. First of all, my joy is Jesus Himself, who called me when I was in my mother’s womb, to follow Him more closely through religious life. I am fortunate to be a missionary sister, and, in particular, to belong to the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, who are each called to be bearers of Jesus’s love in the world. As He appointed and sent His disciples to go out to the people, He gave them authority over unclean spirits and to spread the Good News for all humanity, promising ‘to be with them until the end of the age’, as we read in the Gospel of Matthew (28: 19-20).
Today, Jesus is also calling me to be a witness in this world of His love for others, who are all created in the image of God. This Jesus is with me, and saying to me the same words He said to His disciples, ‘do not be afraid, I am with you, my daughter’. These words encourage me a lot in my missionary life, as do those from the Prophet Jeremiah: ‘For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope. When you call to me, I will listen to you. When you look for me, you will find me.’ (29:11- 13)
For me, these words are energy, joy, and happiness! At any time or situation, I feel and know that I am loved by God, that I am His instrument and He has called me to be His hands and feet to give hope to those who are without hope. So today, it is this love that I share with my brothers and sisters, especially the most vulnerable ones, in the different missions and services wherever I am. I am so grateful to God for His faithfulness.
I am so happy sharing my faith and life experience with all of you.
~ Sr. Asnakech