Sharing a roof and a common mission of serving others with eight other young ladies under the guidance of the Carmelite Sisters taught me that service rendered to others – while not always easy – is always service done directly for the Lord. The two weeks I lived with the Sisters unfortunately coincided with an emotionally tumultuous time in my life at home, so it was difficult for me to think of giving myself as a gift to others when I personally felt heavyhearted, insecure, and out of place. I yearned for the scheduled moments of silent prayer when I could sit still in His consoling presence.
Thanks be to God, I started noticing His presence outside of the church walls during the hours of apostolic activity. He was in the elderly people whose wheelchairs we pushed. He was in the young schoolchildren whose lives at home were less than ideal. He was in the women I was living with. I started seeing the face of the wounded Christ in those who were suffering. What I learned during my experience of living and serving with the Carmelite Sisters is that when I see the Lord upon His throne in glory, it won’t be my first time seeing Him. I will have seen Christ in every wounded individual I feed, clothe, or visit during this earthly life.
To learn more about CVN’s From Service to Sisterhood initiative and discernment resources for volunteers, please click here.
More information about the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles and their volunteer opportunities can be found here.
For more information about National Catholic Sisters Week, including details about events taking place all over the U.S. please click here
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