Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters PO Box 6026, Techny, IL 60082-6026 319 Waukegan Rd., Northfield, IL 60093 Office of Vocation Ministry Phone: 847-441-0126, ext. 704 sspsovm@aol.com www.ssps-usa.org www.worldssps.org
"When I talk of forgiveness I mean the belief that you can come out the other side a better person; a better person than the one being consumed by anger and hatred. Remaining in that state locks you in a state of victimhood, making you almost dependent on the perpetrator. If you can find it in yourself to forgive then you are no longer chained to the perpetrator. You can move on, and you can even help the perpetrator to become a better person too." Dear Friends,
Lent 2013
These above words were pronounced by Archbishop Desmond Tutu. He heard firsthand the real and horrible acts of brutality and violence that took place under the apartheid system. He also witnessed incredible miracles of forgiveness between victims and perpetrators sitting across the table from one another as human beings. Our situation differs greatly but there is also a need to forgive and be forgiven. We live in a less than perfect world and among people who have been hurt. This condition makes us a part of the hurting world in which all of us sometimes unconsciously participate. Just as we participate in making this world a place of suffering for others we are able to participate in making our world a place of harmony and love. Lent is a perfect time to look into our lives and see where we need to make our lives and our relationships more compassionate. It is a time of forgiveness and conversion, a time of changing the direction of our lives and focusing them more on the love of God and our neighbor. In order to make this change more pronounced we need to put God in the midst of our hurts and our suffering relationships because only God is able to help us to heal all that has been broken. Our part in creating more harmonious relationships with each other and God is to begin making order in our lives and learn how to prioritize. We need to learn from God how to put aside some things in order to focus on something that would bring more benefit to others. Another thing that all of us need to learn is to set aside our grievances and see beyond what lies deep in the heart of the other person.
What can you do during this season of Lent to change the direction of your life? What would be more important than giving up candies for Lent? I also would like to invite you to be a part of the Vacation Bible School. Each year some of our sisters go to Greenville and other places during summer to teach children. This year our sisters are going to Greenville/Indianola in Mississippi for the week of June 9 (June June 9 to 15) 15 and to Pine Bluff in Arkansas during the week of June 16 (June June 16 to 22). 22 Please let me know if you would like to be a part of this project. There is no need to stay for two weeks.
Blessed Lent! Sr. Elwira Dziuk
Called by the Spirit, Embracing the World.