welcome prayer2

WELCOME PRAYER SERVICE

A bell is not a bell till you ring it…

A song is not a song until you sing it…

 Love is not a love until you give it and

Welcome is not a welcome unless you express it with gratitude.

            I request sr. sherine to welcome each junior sister with a flower and offer them to the Lord……

God calls certain individuals to service in the vastness of His planet. In times past, He called the Patriarchs and judges. The prophets and kings, the Blessed Virgin Mother and the Apostles. In our day, He still calls countless individuals to His service. This call he inspires and implants in the depths of our hearts. Today we have amidst us our junior sisters, whom the Lord has called from different parts of the country and has planted amidst us. We welcome them today to be with us for a month in preparing themselves better to serve the lord more effectively.

            God’s ways are mysterious, who can know the mind of the Lord? God calls and consecrates each one of us through His gratuitous love. Oh! What a wonderful love is His. Yes, each one of us is beautiful and precious in his sight. From all eternity God had a plan for you dear sisters and He chose you. His choosing is something surprising.

Let us listen to a conversation.

Com: The Master was searching for vessels to use. Before him were many vessels of gold, silver, brass, wooden….etc. which one would he choose?

Narr: He comes to the Golden Vessels.. He paused. He looked at it. It said,

Gold: Master I have kept myself ready for your use. Choose me. My beauty and lustre will draw many to your house. I will beautify your house.

Narr: The master passed with no words at all. He passed…. He looked at the silver vessel very narrow and tall. Then he said…

Master: this is graceful indeed, but I have other tasks for her. Her lines are beautiful. Shine where you are, that’s what I want you to be.

Narr: he moves to the Brass….

Master: this is stony and hard. I don’t want to use her this time.

Vessel: Master, I will follow you and be of service in your house.

Narr: the Master passes by, and comes to a wooden vessel…

Vessel: says to herself…. I hope the master will choose me. I am carved of wood. People like my colour. I am more harmless too.

Master: you are nice and beautiful, yet not now. Wait till I come again.

Narr: the Master just looks and moves…. Then he comes to the Glass vessel.

Glass vessel: I am crystal clear, pure and am ready for your service and await your call. I will be a beauty on your table.

Narr: the Master moves away and yet come to other vessel, made of clay. He sees it and chooses it.

 Vessel: of what use could I be?.

 Master: are you willing to be removed and refashioned into the shape, I wish you to be for my work?

Vessel: yes my Lord.

Master: I choose you not because of your merit, I chose you just because I want you to be mine. Allow yourself in the hands of my art to be moulded, fashioned, painted and made fine, until you take the shape that I have planned for you.

Narr: the vessel replied

Vessel: yes lord, yes Lord.

            Jesus did not come to call the perfect, for the gospel, but the unworthy and the weak. These became his bold instruments. God chooses those who have guts, to persevere in their vocation, acknowledging all the while that, their strength and courage come from God. Mary the mother of Jesus is one such woman with guts. Behold I am the Handmaid of the Lord and let it be done to me according to your word. No matter what she had to endure, she persevered faithfully and courageously in her vocation to the very end. So dear sisters, it is God who calls and commissions. Without God’s initiatives and involvement all religious ministry and leadership are bound to bear little or no fruit. God does not seek perfect people neither does he look for volunteers. He looks for “earthen vessel” whom he can fill and send to spread the light of the Gospel.

Reading Jn 15: 12-17

 The Gospel highlights the intimate relation between Jesus and the disciples. Jesus is the true vine, planted by the father to establish the new Israel. The disciples are the branches, who live in Jesus. Apart from Jesus they can do nothing. To all who live in Jesus, they are able to bear much fruit and do the work of God. Jesus calls the disciples friends and commands that they be, friends to one another…. How?

The disciples are to love one another in imitation of Jesus. Jesus clearly reminds the disciples that their calling is not something they have earned or merited, rather the call to discipleship is a gift. Jesus chooses us to go forth and bear the fruit that lasts the works of love.

            Like St. Paul, when we accept Jesus’ call to follow him, there is much we must relinquish. The old Gods of our lives must die so that the living God of Jesus Christ can be present in our lives. Dear sisters, there might have been times, when we asked ourselves. Whether we are worthy of the gift of religious vocation. The answer is no and also yes.

No …because none of us is really worthy of religious vocation. This is a gift of god to us and to the church. The answer is also yes. For the one who gives makes us worthy to receive the gift.

            Jesus says that he has chosen us and we are to go and bear fruit of love which alone endures. The gift of our religious vocation is, gad’s call for us to be HIS intimate friends by loving one another in imitation of Jesus. In all of our daily labours, we must centre on Christ. Jesus Christ must be the motivation and the end of all our work. For apart from Christ we can do nothing. If we labour without a genuine love for Jesus, our works will not last and the roots will not be deep enough to withstand the challenges of daily picking up of our daily cross. If we are in Christ, we will not experience, a burn out but we will be inflamed with the spirit.

            It’s you yourself, dear sisters, whom the lord has chosen. He has chosen you, out of his bountiful love and you have readily responded to the mysterious call of God and you allowed yourself to be moulded, fashioned and made fine, during these years of formation of your religious life. This Province is a chosen land for you sisters. God has allotted this vineyard to you where you are to live and work for the lord. As you have come here to refresh yourself for a month, we wish you a happy and graceful stay over here.

Now I request sr……..to express their response to the Lord on behalf of the group by reading Ps. 46/ Ps. 13.

Before we conclude with a final hymn I request Rev. SR. Ivy, our provincial superior to pray for these sisters.