Similarities between Sisters and skaters
posted on: Wednesday, February 01, 2012 by: rbauer
by Sister Laura Zelten
This Sunday our Church celebrates
Consecrated Life Day. This day is set aside to appreciate the
gifts religious women and men bring to the Church.
It might sound strange but as I watched the U.S. Women's Figure
Skating competition last Sunday, it occurred to me there were
similarities between the successful skaters and those of us called
to religious life.
First, the dedication to excellence: Each woman was committed to
long hours of practice. Some put their education on hold in order
to compete. Dedication is also a trait of religious women and men.
We are committed to rooting our lives in prayer and ministry.
And yes, it takes practice. Every day my Sisters and I spend
time in communal prayer and personal prayer. We are dedicated to
growing in our relationship with God. Renewed by prayer, religious
women and men serve the Church. We give our whole lives to working
with and for the people of God, whether as teachers, health-care
givers, pastoral ministers, parish directors, faith formation
personnel or hospital chaplains.
Second, the ability to stay focused: Figure skaters need to
block out all distractions so they can perform their routines
flawlessly. At one point during Sunday's competition a skater
slipped and fell because she looked up at the crowd after hearing
her name called. She lost her focus. We religious women and men are
called to give our all to the people of God. For that to
happen we must stay focused on Jesus and His mission.
Like St. Paul tells us, our crown is the gift of eternal life.
"I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the
faith."
We may not be champion figure skaters, but we are champions in
the light of Christ. May you, too, see yourself as someone
who has their eyes on the prize of Jesus.