Transcription
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Welcome to Let Love, a podcast with the Sisters of Life. We invite you to join us for conversation looking at life through the lens of love. You are loved. You are made in God's image, and your life matters. Let's talk about it.
Welcome back. This is Sister Anne.
You stay.
And this is Sister Mary.
To us with that love podcast with the Sisters of Life. Good to be back.
Good to be back. And today, we're gonna be diving into letting love rejoice over us. Letting love rejoice over you, over me. But I guess, mercy, what does it even mean to rejoice? Like, do you rejoice, Sister?
I rejoice. I'm raising my hands right now. I rejoice. It's a silly question for Sister Life. I know. What do you rejoice in, Sister?
Wait, one of the first things that comes to mind actually is bumblebees flying through Lebanon. You know, just their fat, fuzzy little bodies just flying and kind of hovering. It actually, I was delighted to learn that technically, physically, they shouldn't really be able to fly. It's kind of like a balance up with wings. It kind of defies the laws of physics, apparently, which just increases my joy and delight all the more. There's something I perennial-ly take joy in. It's astounding. Why do, why, why did God do that?
I really think it was just for our happiness.
You rejoice in bumblebees. I do. Hmm. What about you? What do you take joy in?
You know, lately, Sister, I find myself finding joy seeing so deeply in my nieces and nephews. So I have, I'm blessed to have quite a few. But I think ten of them are under the age of eight. Oh, it's not amazing. So great. And the way they see the world with such wonder and openness, and the way they approach life with such creativity. And it's like their innocence and teachability, I just rejoice in it. It sharpens my own. It renews my heart and my soul. And it's like fresh. It's like a fresh spring breeze. Even like the way my little niece, she's four and a half, and I remember sitting with her for a conversation and at every turn, she's like, "But why?" Or, you know, and then this happens. "But why?" And rather than it being, it was not it all annoying. It was actually like, "Oh my gosh, what a wonder. Yes, why?" And annoying things. And so I rejoice in their lives so deeply.
Yeah, it's incredible. That's beautiful. To imagine, Sister, this is what God is doing over us all the time. He takes joy in you. But I can't wait to talk about this because I think there is a shortage of letting love rejoice over us.
I think you're right, Sister. I think it's, we can get so kind of caught up in what we have to do and improving ourselves. And I even stop and think, like, "Love actually takes joy in me?" Hmm. Like, that might, I mean, I think that could be a new concept for many of us. It definitely was for me. Yeah. And I can't wait because scripture unpacks this with a punch. Awesome.
You want to kick us off?
In the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit. Come, Lord Jesus. Lord Jesus, thank you so much for your goodness, your grace, your blessings. Oh, thank you for taking joy in us. And we just ask Jesus right now in this conversation that you, you reveal to us your heart in this, your, your heart that takes joy in our very being. We ask that our hearts might be open to this, open to receiving your love and your joy. We entrust ourselves to you and to our Blessed Mother Mary as we pray.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Our Lady, Cause of Our Joy, pray for us.
In the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Amen.
Amen. Wow. This is a new and exciting topic. Yes. Yeah. When I think I just have to kick it off, Sister, because this is not a new thing. This goes, if we think about letting love rejoice over us, this is from the dawn of creation. Wow. Yeah. I mean, and if you kick back to Genesis.
Okay, you're talking dawn. Really? We're going way back.
Way back. And it's easy to forget. But also, in a sense, if we want to come to know ourselves, Genesis is a fabulous blueprint. It's like, I'm constantly unpacking more and more from that. It's like God's first words to us, and in a way, the human person being that word. And, and look at creation. So you've got, and there's two creation accounts, but if you take the, the one that speaks of like, right, the first day and the second day, and gosh, God creating all the beauty of the earth, right? And I love to think about, step back and think about how much I rejoice in a quiet moment by a still lake, right? Or the, the beauty of a sunset, or the glory and tenderness, really, of a starry night or crescent moon. Yeah. And, and you think about the beauty that floods the senses just in encountering the beauty in creation. And that, and God says, "This is good." And after he creates the moon and the stars and all the fishes in the sea, "Good." Yeah. And yet, when he creates the human person, he looks at the human person and what does he say?
Yeah, that's striking. Not just good.
Mm-hmm. But very good. So all the beauty you can dream up, all the beauty you can, you could even possibly conjure up in your senses, all the beauty of the universe. And you, the human person, you and me, in each of us, is inscribed a beauty even more. And that's like God rejoices in that before we do anything, just in our being. It's that amazing. He's rejoicing. He's saying, "Very good."
It's, I mean, it's just what you're saying about going back to Genesis and it, like, how God really reveals his heart and his desires in that, in that moment of creation for us. But also, like, it's striking because I think so often it's like, "Wow, you're gonna just rejoice in me, not for something I've done or produced or achieved? Like, I am a cause of your delight?" Yes. In the most beautiful and, and innocent and, and purest of ways. Like, I give your heart delight. What? Yeah. It's, it's really, I think it's revolutionary in terms of how we can even approach ourselves, let alone approach others. Hmm. And yet, revolutionary. And yet, if we look around, if we look a little closer into daily life, like, okay, mom and dad looking at their first newborn child. Yeah. Baby's not doing anything. In fact, the baby's like spitting up and everything else that babies do. And mom and dad are like, "Over the moon." Like, "Baby just spit up? Oh my gosh, yeah. This is amazing." But that rejoicing just in the gift of this person. Yeah. Yeah. It's the little things. It's amazing. But we see this truth kind of inscribed in our own hearts.
Well, that deeply resonates with me, Sister, because I actually made me think of a memory of when my little sister was born. She's 14 years younger than me. So I had the great joy of like, actually like appreciating her cuteness and littleness. But I remember mom and dad were both at home for the first year of her of her life. And every morning, we would, we would, someone would hear her stir in the crib and like, what, announce to the whole house, "She's up! Baby's up!" And all of us, all of us would come running into her room. And she'd be there, like, especially when she was little older, like standing up, holding the crib, crib bars, and her pajamas were all like, totally in disarray, and her hair was a total mess. And she's just staring at us with a big smile and like, drool, you know, coming down. And it was like, we just offered it was like the most exciting, wonderful thing every morning for like, a year, two years. And and that to me, that's just much of what you're saying. Exactly. It's like, it's not for anything she's doing. It's to be just. We're so moved by her and her wonderfulness. And that, and that's a memory that I will never, I cherish that in my heart for the rest of my days.
Stunning. Yeah. When it resonates. Or even, okay, we live near Long Island. And Long Island is kind of a, you know, it's a whole world unto itself. If you live in New York City, you know this. And I love you all, Long Islanders, but we know you don't have to leave the island. You see yourselves. It's, it's glorious in itself. Yeah. And I didn't have the privilege of attending this exercise class, but someone was telling about this fabulous exercise instructor who everybody wanted in on the class because she was just so affirming in all the right ways. So it's like, her classic line was like, "Okay, there you are. Here we go. Let's do the exercises." But even she'd be like, "You're sweating. You're sweating all by yourself. You're awesome. Okay, you're awesome. You're doing it all by yourself. You're standing. Standing. You're awesome." Okay. And yet, okay, you can say that is this like over the top? But at the same time, when I hear it, I'm like, "Yeah, I'm standing and breathing and being. You're awesome." Okay. Like, it's fabulous. But honestly, it's an echo of what God, when he looks upon us. Yeah. He, I mean, we are a work of his heart, of his hands, of his mind, of his thought. And he brought us into being to to love us, to be loved by us in return, to draw us into this dynamism of love. And before we do anything, he is rejoicing over us. It even says it. Okay, I know, obscure prophet alert. Zephaniah. Yeah. You know, Zephaniah. I've never, I haven't studied him much. But in chapter three in scripture, I love this. It says, "The Lord your God is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will renew you in his love. He will exalt over you with loud singing, as on a day of festival." I mean, stunning, right? That's I. "I will save the lame and gather the outcasts. I will change their shame into praise and renown in all the earth. At that time, I will bring you home. At the time when I gather you together, I will make you renowned and praised among the peoples of the earth." I mean, he sings over us. He exalts over you with loud singing because you are his. Mmm. You're his beloved child. You're the work of his hands. Yeah. And it's like, he's that passage is so powerful and so moving. But it's like the experience of like, "I am treated as a treasure." Yeah. It's like I'm like the pride of his heart. Yeah. In that. And, and wow, do I, do I, is that on my mind? On my radar? Like, he, he delights in me. He takes joy in. Yeah, not for anything I've done, but because I'm me. It's stunning. And he loves every inch of me. Like, all the quirks, all the non-quirks. Hey, Bob. Is it? And what, and you think like, why? Because I think for us, we're like, "But why?" Like, "But why?" But look at scripture. I mean, honestly, this is, if we pull from scripture, Isaiah 43:1 talks all about it. It's a fabulous word. I would, I would recommend taking it to prayer. It's like, "He said, 'If you're not forever deemed, you, I've called you by name. You were mine.'" He said, "When you pass through the waters, I'll be with you. And through the rivers, they shall not be overwhelmed. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you, for I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you, because I love you." Why? "Because you are precious in my eyes and honored." Wow. And I love you. Wow. It's like he's laboring love is laid for us. And he's like, I think in this, I mean, I know for me, when this dawned on me, and I think it really had to come to life through prayer, they're really stopping being still and being willing to receive this truth, that's the way it really entered and broke into my life. But I remember being kind of stunned by it. Like, "This is too good to be true. Like, this can't be possible that I'm loved just in, I don't have to do anything. I don't earn love. I don't have to prove anything. I'm loved." But scripture tells us this. And actually, I think as we stop and be still, it's nothing. All we have to do is, is let this reality come to life. Okay. Learn to listen to this reality being spoken. Simply welcome it, which is harder than we think.
You're right, Sister, because I think it's, I mean, hearing this, it's so, it's like balm on the soul. It's like so beautiful. And it's the experiences I want. I want to live out of that. I never want to ever not live that. But I'm sure, I mean, people might be wondering like, "Okay, yes, I want that. But how do I engage that? How do I make that? I don't actually believe that because I can wake up in the morning and look in the mirror and my first thought is not that I'm a delight to the Father." Hmm. It's like, "Wow, I have another special blemish." You know? But like, how, I don't know, any thoughts you fight? Like, how do we live that? How do we embrace it in our hearts?
Two things come immediately to mind. First is the realm of thoughts. Hmm. It's a huge gate that we have to steward, in a sense. What are we consuming in our minds? And are we eating up the trash talk that, yeah, the enemy's always gonna fly at us that we can also work, we're our worst critics. And it's like, rather than having a revolving door. So a lot of times, it's almost like, if you think about the revolving doors off the streets, we can let a lot of garbage into our minds and in our own thoughts, in things we think other people think about us, things that the enemy is going to be flinging at us. And what we want to do is we almost like, you know, the doors to get into like some sort of underground, like, I don't know, mafia operation. I've never been to one either. Like, it's in, like, the movies where they got the giant metal door with a very small window. Yes. And you have to knock on the door for the window even to be open, open and free for you to be considered as someone coming in. Yeah. That is actually the type of thing we want to secure on our thoughts. Like, seal that door up. And if something's coming in, you're going to, you're going to give it the the green light. And you can be like, accept or reject. So if it's, if it's of the Lord, if it's speaking to you of your goodness, of your beauty, of that you are cherished and treasured, which is true, it's the greatest reality of our lives, let it in. If it's condemnation, if it's judgment, if it's criticism, if it's crippling, if it's turning me inward and shoving me down, don't let that in. So first, I think, really steward our thoughts. Hmm. Second, actually, there's a great book, "Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives." It's, yes, I've heard of that. So fabulous. I highly recommend it. It's a great read by an incredible, holy monk who really spent his whole life laboring in this. "Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives." That book opened new worlds for me. The second thing is is prayer. To be honest, like, we really need to stop and receive this truth from God and allow it to melt away the barriers we have to believing in trusting this truth. But it takes a commitment to diving into scripture, as we are here. It's there for you. And being willing to receive God's love. Hmm. I don't know. What do you think, Sister?
I love that. I think it's powerful. I mean, thoughts and prayer and receiving that. And I, as you're speaking to, I feel like it's important to see, like, not to be shy about acknowledging the truth about ourselves. You know, there's, you know, many things that are true. But like, something that actually is delightful about us. Hmm. To actually be honest. You know, like, like, I have wonderful eyes. But it's like, and I love my eyes. Hmm. But it's like, it's not, not in a prideful way or vain way, but like, "Yeah, like, actually, wow. Thanks, Jesus." And it's a cause of delight for me. And to receive it. And like, even like our little quirks and things, you know? Amen. Like, I drink my water in this way. And I don't know, funny example, but it's like, actually, that's really dear. Amen. And it delights the heart of Jesus. It actually probably delights others as well. Well, and I, it says, where you speak of that, well, and everything, receiving the gift of yourself. Yeah, which is a gift. And God made you as a gift. He doesn't make garbage. But you're speaking of others. And I think I want to just press in there. You being in a culture of encouragement. Hmm. And friendship and people who will reflect back to you this reality. And you're gonna think I'm kind of crazy. But speaking of my nieces and nephews, I was recently speaking to my twin sister, and she's got five kids under the age of eight. And so obviously, part of growing up is potty training. Okay. So they're they're hard at work in this department. And I was so fascinated. Those sister, you're gonna have to stick with me. So the, the youngest, or the second youngest, is learning to potty train. And so they were noticing that the older kids, you know, needed to be, that they could change, change attitudes around this, this event. And what they did is they're like, "Okay, to the older children, if if your little brother successfully uses the restroom, well, you're all gonna get a prize." Which immediately diminished any shaming, any, you know, mockery, any megatrons surrounding the event. We're gonna cut those megatrons out. And actually, what happens is, as soon as this little guy gets, gets a sense that, you know, he must use the restroom, all the siblings start saying, like, cheering them on like, "Yeah! Oh, you've got this!" And then he'll emerge successful. And, and they rejoice. They really rejoice in his success. And, and then they all get a prize. Now, honestly, this is, this is the gift of friendship. This is the gift of having people around us and who can see the truth, it reflected back to us. And, and also being aware of the Negatron. I think we all know what that means, right? And, and, yeah, yeah, because that's not gonna help us ultimately. You're right. But it's, it's such a great image. It's so cute and funny. But it's actually really profound.
Very human. It is very human. But it's profound because actually, and I love what you're saying, because often, actually, our friends can see us more truly than we can, I think sometimes. And we need someone to be like, "You, like, I love this about you. I love this about you. You have a gift here." And it's actually because, I think intrinsically, maybe because of the fall, we can really beat on ourselves inside and get down on ourselves. But to have ourselves reflected in another's eyes as good and delightful and giving joy to another, it's not only healing, but it gives us wings. And the more we actually can receive it and believe it, I think, yeah, just the greater our heart's capacity, in a way. And actually, I mean, I just, I mean, I want to here's myself, but all of us, like to be that for our friends. To be that mirror of truth and love and, and like, "You are delightful, and you're beautiful, and you're a gift." And, and this is one of the, you know, this, it's powerful. You know, it's like St. Barnabas, he's called the, the Son of Encouragement, to encourage each other in truth.
Well, it reminds me of a beautiful image of, I remember watching two of my sisters push each other on a giant swing. And it was like, "Whoa." I was watching this, and they were so filled with delight. They were rejoicing in this moment. It's a beautiful fall day. And one sister was pushing another sister higher and higher and higher. And that is virtuous friendship. Hmm. That's holy friendship. That is spiritual sisterhood. That we're pushing each other closer and closer to this source of love. And in the delight that comes forth from that, and the fruitfulness that comes forth from that. But yeah, so let love, let love rejoice over you. Just your being. Just your being. And uniquely your unique, unrepeatable being. You know, it's like, Cinque Torres says, there's, we're kind of like a garden of flowers, and we're each different and each fragrant in our own way and beautiful. And it's like, I don't have to be like this just to be me and to be delightful. Kind of flower you are.
Well, I know what I wanted. Yeah. I would like to be lavender. Lilacs. And I like they're my most favorite, you know, in the world. I would like to be like them. Fragrant. Fragrant. And, you know, I'm not quite sure. But one time I asked my mom, and she thought I was a dandelion. No, she was actually, she was kind of being lovingly teasing and saying that I was a weed. I think I think I was growing quite quickly at that time in my life. So I'll have to ask the Lord first. And actually, I would encourage those listening, ask the Lord. He loves revealing things to us. And, yeah, what kind of, what flower are you in his heavenly garden? How uniquely you have been, have been handcrafted by God to to bring beauty to the human family. And, yeah. Hmm. It's fun to think about. What I mean. And well, why do I? I don't know. Sister, do you have other thoughts as far as how do we let love rejoice over us? So like, let's just say I really screw up. And I don't really quite feel like I'm worthy of being rejoiced over. Like, I don't know. What do you do then?
This is really, it's a really powerful and important question. Because it actually took, it's like, my answer is yes. That's my answer. Yes.
Tell me more.
In this sense of, one thing I'm actually struck with in the scriptures is is where Jesus talks about heaven rejoicing over us. Where is that? Well, it's in Luke 15, largely. And there's three particular parables. I'll just mention, I'll mention three, then I'll just talk about my before to happiness. But there's the parable of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. And all of those are parables of something that coming being lost. Well, actually, someone or something being lost. And, and the most rejoicing is when they're found. And actually, so I think, yeah, like we feel like we totally messed up something. And, you know, and you know what sin is, right? Sin is turning our face away from the Lord. But when is he rejoiced? I mean, he rejoices in our being. Yes. And so actually, what he wants to see is our face. Right? It's like the movie "Wonder." I love that line. Dad's name. But it's like a little boy in his big helmet. And why did the dad hide the helmet? "I just want to see the face of my son." Hmm. And that's what the father wants. That's what God the Father wants. And, you know, it's like the prodigal son. Or just, I think one of my favorite scriptures ever. You know, and he's, I just imagine the father on the porch, smoking a pipe, every evening, you know, waiting, hoping. And just to see his son's face again. And it's like, what he did when he came, that moment, it's like everything the son had gambled, you know, his property with prostitutes and eating the fruit of pigs. In a moment, the father forgot all that. Ran to him, embraced him, dressed him in his robe, and kissed him. And that's the father to us. It's like, he never stops rejoicing in our being, ever. It's we who stop believing that he is.
Well, Sister, you know, and I just, there's something. And heaven rejoices. You just said, "Heaven rejoices over one sinner that repents than over ninety-nine who don't need repentance." It's amazing, you know. Well, I guess me. Great hope listening to Sister. It's just stunning because it's like, I think when we have fallen or when we have sinned, it's like we feel the whole weight of the world against us. It's like, "There's no hope for me. I can't turn back." We become very, we can become very discouraged. But like, even the way that you're describing it, it's like, "Oh my gosh, all I have to do is look up. All I have to do is, in a sense, pivot. Just just a little pivot to get back in the game." You know, it's almost like, I played a lot of basketball as a kid, you know, but like, it's a power, the power of a pivot. Like, you, the game changes. You can get open for the ball. You can, you can get back in there just with that one little shift, looking up, turning my heart back to the Father and saying, "I'm sorry." And, and, yeah, knowing that encountering that love waiting for you. Yeah. That gaze of delight that's never stopped gazing on you with delight. Actually, it's been waiting for you. It's just a meeting that gaze again. I mean, it makes me think actually of Cardinal O'Connor, our founder, sharing how he would receive letters, actually, not infrequently, from women whose sons were in prison. Hmm. And, and saying, and he was so moved by them because it was these women, they're like, "I know he did wrong, and I know. But he's a good boy. Like, I love him so much. He's so good." And it's like these moms. What an image. This mom who never lost sight of the goodness and delightfulness of her son, no matter what he did.
Well, you know, and it's powerful. I mean, it's like St. Teresa's like, "God has." She's like, "One thing about the Lord is he has it, he's a poor memory." You know? Like, he just, he just loves us so much that when he sees our faces, just sees, he forgets all our sisters. He forgets our sins. And it's just, hmm, the one I love. Amen. You know? And, and it's just important to remember. It's so important. Or even, I think I've mentioned it before, but only because it's my go-to. Saint Faustina would say, you know, to the sinner, basically, "Rise immediately to glorify God's mercy." And since, instead, "Look up." I'm gonna have that courage to look up. That little move is powerful. And the enemy wants us to believe it's harder than we think. When actually, all it is is saying, "Aye, okay. Right here. Meet me right here. In my mess. In my difficulty. In my sinfulness. In my shame. Jesus, just be with me right here." Hmm. Right here. And he can transform that. He can. He can gather us and lift us again into the heart of the Father. He did it already. It's been done. We just have to let that go to work. Give it permission. Yeah. It's like, you never think like a mom or dad is not distressed when their child is, you know, a mess. Or like, it's like they love them. Yeah. You know? Yeah. Sister, they're cute. They're wonderful. They're good. Hmm. And like you're saying, to just look up. Hmm. Look up. Let's see the gaze that's always been waiting for you. And will never stop looking at you like that.
Stunning stuff, Sister. Gosh. Before we go, give a challenge.
Yeah. I do. Word of encouragement. I do. I think to ask the Lord, Jesus, show me. Show me how you take joy in me. Hmm. Just a simple prayer. Show me how you take joy in me. And, and give me the grace to believe it.
No, Sister. Yeah. That's my, that's my go-to. My takeaway. Before you go. What about you?
My challenge would would be to chart your thoughts a little bit. So just notice. Notice your thoughts. Name them, in a sense. Are your thoughts helping you to trust in the Lord's love for you? And trust in your goodness? That you are good. And that is an irreducible reality about you. Okay? It just is. And I think the enemy loves to make us believe that we're not. Yeah. And it's, I think thoughts are a huge gate that he loves to hop in. So it's like watching, just almost like being a little gatekeeper and watchfulness over your thoughts. And asking for the grace to to see what thoughts are helping you to believe in the truth, the ultimate reality of your life, that you are loved, that love is rejoicing over you right now, and that you are worthy of that. That you are good. And rejecting, you know, learning to not listen to, learning to turn away from those things distracting you from truth. Anything that makes you feel like, "I'm ugly. I'm wrong." Wow. That's a great challenge. Yeah. It's cuz it's a lie. That's all. Yeah. Yeah. And we want truth. That's it, right? It'll set you free. Amen.
Wow. Should be. This is awesome. Talk about it. It's cool. Is it? Yeah. I'd love to.
In the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Amen. Jesus, we thank you for your love. We ask that you draw us into your heart and lift us into the heart of the Father. We ask in a special way that you anoint our minds, that you just cast out any any thoughts or attitudes or dispositions that provoke disbelief in the Father's love for us. That we have the courage to renounce those and to turn back, to repent of believing any lies that we're not good, that we're not worthy of a Father's love. But to claim the truth that we are beloved sons and daughters of the Father, that he cherishes us, that we are good. To let love rejoice over us. And then through this day. And we ask for all these graces. And we thank you ahead of time for answering them. As we say, glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.
May the Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Amen.
Have a fabulous day. God bless you. Praying for you. See you next time. Be well.
This was Let Love, a podcast for the Sisters of Life, a religious community of women consecrated for the protection of the sacredness of human life. Be assured of our prayers and learn more at SistersOfLife.org.
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