Unlike many/most of my Dominican Sisters, I am not super strong in St. Catherine of Siena’s history. However, I do know she was a philosopher, a theologian and spoke her mind quite openly, impacting Church decisions and the Papacy during her lifetime. She was the first woman to be named “Doctor” of the Church and she is the patron Saint of Europe. Frankly, while not strong in the details of her history, I always felt a certain kinship with Catherine because of her willingness to be outspoken….plus she was from a large family, as am I!
As I reflect on my ministry over the years since I entered Religious Life, I believe that I am where I am supposed to be. I’ve always had a passion for my ministries, from teacher to Principal, to Campus Ministry Director, to Co-Founder and Executive Director of NC Mission of Hope and to Mission service. And each of those ministries, on some level, helped to prepare me for the next call to ministry.
How about you? Are you alive with passion, with fire for who you are and what you do? Are you setting the world on fire? I believe that to be passionate and alive is truly a sign, as St. Catherine of Siena says, that you are where you are meant to be and doing what you’re meant to be doing. Passion and a belief in your call ebbs and flows, just as life does….but overall, being a passionate person indicates that you are alive with HOPE! And it is a strong indicator that you live each day with a joy, with a fire of love for life, with gratitude, for justice and truth! We all are called to set the world on fire in diverse ways..and the multitude of ways we set the world on fire lends to the richness of LIFE- in multi-faceted ways….from our offices to our farmlands, from our caring for children to our caring for elders, from our first job to our aging in peace, from our going out to serve others to our allowing others to enter in and serve us.
So, I am who I am meant to be!! This past week, in our contemplation and reflection, a wonderful song that I loved for years, was played. It’s a perfect song for you to begin or end your day with, to begin your moments of “alone time”, whatever that means for you. The Song is entitled “Who I was meant to Be” and is sung by Susan Boyle. I hope you take about 4 minutes and view the video. It is reassuring and inspiring. Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.
As we continue to live each day, may we be re-ignited or re-inspired to live our life/our lives with a fire burning deep in our souls, a fire and passion that honors “who we are meant to be”.
Live and be who you were meant to be…today and everyday, and always be HOPE!
Sr. Debbie Blow, OP