‘My life, my love’ - a vocation story

Sydney
28 April 2002

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Chastity leads to true freedom, seminar told

Church unity is Christ’s will: Cardinal Cassidy

Sri Lankan fare at Amnesty night

Editorial: Mission of love, charity

Letters: Reform of the Mass, or not?

‘My life, my love’ - a vocation story

Reflections: A lone voice for our ‘enemy aliens’

Trinh’s journey from refugee to religious

Earthquake, malaria, but what a faith experience!

Obituary: Fr Lex was a friend indeed to those in need

Obituary: Lawyer, nun, college principal

Inspirations: Honour for Viet cardinal’s mother

‘My life, my love’ - a vocation story

By Sr Susan Shannon OLSH

What a privilege! What a joy! To be invited to be a follower, friend, disciple and lover of Jesus as a religious!

To have God set his heart upon me and name me as his ‘very own’! Yes a unique privilege and wonderful joy, a joy that deepens with each and every day of my living.

Across the years I have felt and known myself to be a part of God’s precious dreaming, and now, he is an integral part of mine.

He is my life, my love, the ‘love’ of my heart!

I would like to invite you into my story, into the journey of my vocation as a religious sister.

This sacred and exciting journey has unfolded over 30 years and, as I look back over the shoulder of my heart, I cannot help but marvel at and applaud God’s beautiful, tender and love-filled ways.

My story began when I was 13 and my dad had invited a Salesian priest for dinner with our family.

Shortly after arriving, this priest looked in my direction and, with a big smile, said: “Sue, I have a surprise for you!”

“For me?” I replied as he gave me a book called The Hero of Molokai.

I leafed through a few pages that night before falling asleep but within a day or two this book found its way, as did many other bits and pieces, under my bed - where it remained unopened for the next six months.

Then, one Saturday morning, I was summoned by my mum.

I heard words which most kids fear: “Your room is an utter disgrace! Go and clean it up and don’t come out until it is finished.”

Maybe I started under the bed - I can’t really remember - but within

a few minutes I was lying on my

bedroom floor reading The Hero of Molokai.

I read on and on and simply loved what I was reading the story of Fr Damien de Veuster, a priest from Belgium who volunteered to go as a missionary to the Hawaiian Islands where he worked with and eventually gave his life for people who were suffering with the dreaded illness called leprosy.

I so well recall thinking to myself at the time I was reading this story: ‘Wow, one day I would love to be like Fr Damien. I would love to be someone who makes a difference to the lives and hearts of God’s people!’ (I guess my bedroom got cleaned up.)

Scene Two: Two years later, the night before Ash Wednesday, our family of eight was gathered around the table enjoying our evening meal.

My mum was in the kitchen churning out piles of yummy pancakes as fast as she could go and we were eating them equally as fast as we could go!

In the midst of dripping golden syrup, lemon juice, sugar, sticky fingers, and lots of “Mmmmms”, my dad took an alarm clock out of his pocket and placed it in the middle of the table.

“Guess what I am going to do for Lent?” he asked.

There was a moment of silence as we looked at the clock, then at Dad and then back at the clock. “I’m going to go to Mass each morning,” he proudly announced.

We cheered him on: “That’s great, Dad! Good on you!”

We were unprepared for his next line: “Who wants to come with me?”

I took a big bite of the pancake in front of me. To go to Mass each morning for the whole of Lent was the last thing I wanted to do.

Silence reigned.

And when I slowly looked up, there was my mum standing behind my dad mouthing the words to me: “Go with him.”

I wanted to climb under the table but with a huge effort, I smiled at Dad, took a big breath and said, “I’d love to come with you, Dad!”

Little did I know that going to daily Eucharist was to become so very special for me and a treasured lifetime practice.

It was during this time of daily Mass that I met the Jesus Fr Damien loved. A fire was kindled within my heart and, from this time, I began to grow in my deep and personal love union with Jesus.

After completing Year 12, 1 went on to work in the Taxation Office as a law clerk.

I was putting out my wings and really enjoying myself - lots of friends, fun times, dances, parties, a little travelling ... yes, life was good.

However, within my heart, there was something of a restlessness. I was feeling an inner calling to gift myself, my life, my heart and my love to Jesus.

Yet at the same time, I experienced fear and hesitation. I just kept putting things on hold and continued on with my life.

It was while I was at Mass one Sunday that Jesus left me in no doubt as to what he wanted me to do.

During his homily, the priest was telling the story of a statue which had been badly damaged during World War II.

It was a statue of Jesus and the arms had been blown off as bombs were dropped.

Some soldiers had offered to have the statue fixed when the war was over but the priest had another idea.

He simply wrote out a sign ‘I have no hands now but yours’ and hung it around Jesus’ neck.

As I sat and listened to this story, I could hear Jesus speaking with love to me: “I have no hands now Susan but yours; no arms, feet, lips, heart but yours.

“Will you gift yourself to me in love and be mine?”

It was a precious love experience and I decided to respond to Jesus’ invitation and become a religious sister.

I chose the Congregation of the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart as they live a spirituality of the heart in union with Mary and try to echo with their lives the very heartbeat of Jesus’ heart - his love, compassion and tenderness.

My vocation story has been and continues to be a love story, a love journey!

It is still unfolding and God continues to surprise me in so many ways.

My life within the Church has been adventurous, exciting and joy filled.

Sure, there have been ups and downs, but I have constantly experienced the fidelity, intimacy and joy of God’s enduring love along the way.

Within my heart, I feel a wealth of gratitude for the gift of the precious vocation God has entrusted me with!

As for the future, it is in the hands and heart of God, but I have confidence enough in his unconditional love to sign a blank cheque and trustfully and joyfully live the rest of my life with and for him and his people!

You see, I believe that the best is yet to come!