A Pentecost reflection and exercise from our provincial president

Dear friends,

Happy Pentecost, everyone. May the gifts of the Spirit swell and dwell more deeply within you as we carry our Jesus’ mission each day of our lives! The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are with us always; we only need to tap into them. Wisdom, understanding, fortitude, counsel, knowledge, piety and awe of our God. (I like saying “awe” of our God rather than “fear” of God, because God doesn’t give us cause to fear!) God never stops loving us and gifting us.

We all sometime reach a place where we feel, “I don’t have anything to give to another; I have no gifts to share; I am too quiet, ignorant, uncreative, no longer young….” Every single one of us has gifts, given by our loving God, for our good and to share with others. We are beloved of God!

So to start living extraordinarily, let’s go! Let’s name our gifts. When is the last time you wrote them down to look at? Do it now, and be in awe with what you list, in awe of what God has given you. Grab a scrap of paper, and let’s go!

Now with that list before you, consider how you have shared those gifts with others in this past, difficult year; in this past week; in the hours and minutes of this day… (Are you considering?)

What happens inside you when you acknowledge and embrace the gifts and when you recall the good that you did for another using those gifts? What feelings do you have? (Do they erase the negative feelings you have about yourself? What happens to your spirit when you use your gifts for another?)

The following was written by Sr. Melannie Svoboda, SND for the Reflection for Pentecost Sunday in the Give us This Day booklet: God comes to tell us to go. God whispers: “Go give her a hand.” God nags, “Go and say you’re sorry.” God shouts, “Go and do something about that!” God shakes up our normal life, all in an effort to get us to go and love…go and give…go and do that hard thing…go and listen…go and play…go and pray…go to a deeper level of trust in me…go because I am with you. Always.”

As we have been through the last 18 months together, let’s also go together to make life extraordinary each day, always. God is with us and we are with each other, always.

Happy Pentecost and Happy June,

Sr. Margaret Hickey, ND

Provincial President, Notre Dame Sisters