Alleluia

 

 "Whenever you have a difficult challenge, put God in the situation." This is advice I was given by my confessor. In our ministry with senior citizens at Saint Joseph and Cecilian Villages, the challenges come unexpectedly around every corner. They may come in an interview that starts with practical questions and soon enters into an applicant's painful life journey. God comes in compassion and consolation. The challenge may come with the emergency call that will change a resident's quality of life. God enters with healing and hope. It may shoot out of a broken sprinkler. God comes with the gift of plumbers and painters and the gift of restoration. 

God enters in dreams realized — physical ones, such as new computers and spiritual ones, such as insights offered on a senior prayer day. God inspires generosity and gratitude. In tears of loss and smiles of welcome, false alarms and embarrassed relief, I find these very earthy real people are the revelation of God/Christ. So I pause each day to recollect, to realize that God is in each challenge even when I am unaware. Alleluia!

 Sister Evelyn Danks SSJ

  

I entered the Sisters of Saint Joseph in 1964 after graduation from Little Flower High School. We were considered the beginning of the Baby Boomers. Wherever we went there were a lot of us. Our willingness to try anything and to keep trying earned us the title "Uncrushables." While my main apostolic work was education, so many opportunities presented themselves in pastoral work, community interaction especially in Hispanic ministry. Surprised by the Spirit is not just a title for a book it is our autobiography. I now serve as Occupancy Manager in Saint Joseph Village and Cecilian Village in McSherrystown, PA. Both are sponsored works of the Sisters of Saint Joseph and federally subsidized housing communities for senior citizens. More information is available at: http://saintjosephvillage.org/index.html and http://cecilianvillage.org/index.html.