See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the Children of God. // 1 John 3:1 I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get a little teary eyed as my eighth graders looked at me with gratitude one afternoon. I’d just allowed them to spend an entire religion period spouting off their frustration with a variety of circumstances they’d been experiencing over the past few months. I listened patiently, responding with what I hoped was understanding, love, and maybe logic here and there. As I dismissed them to lunch, several of the students came up and said, “Sister, this was awesome. It feels like no one ever really listens to us.” Misery, angst, awkwardness, confusion, rebelliousness, and so many other things could be aptly applied to my darling middle school students on any given day. After nine and half years of teaching middle schoolers, I’ve learned the only answer to any of those things, the only thing that can free them from the anxiety, confusion, and awkwardness of adolescence is knowing their true identity: they are the Father’s beloved ones. I teach my students a lot of doctrine, dogma, and theology throughout the course of a year. In the end, though, I don’t care if they remember who presided over the Council of Trent, or if they can define Hypostatic Union, or if they know how many years Israel was in exile. If they remember one thing, I hope and pray it’s this: they are loved infinitely, personally, uniquely, and individually by the God Who created them and holds them in existence by His very love for them. I hope and pray that for you, too, sister. This knowledge is not something that only middle schoolers need. We need it too. Every day we need to be reminded that our identity and worth can be found only by dwelling in the gaze of the Father Who has bestowed immeasurable love upon us that we may be called His children, that we shall be like him (see 1 John 3:2). Sister, in this Christmas season, embrace your identity as the Father’s daughter because everyone who has this hope based on Him makes himself pure, as He is pure (see 1 John 3:3).

On that day you need not be ashamed of all your deeds, your rebellious actions against me. // Zephaniah 3:11 The sun peeked over the top of the trees as I walked wearily toward the Catholic church across campus. My heart was heavy with shame. I inched into the corner of the back pew, dropped onto my knees, my head falling into my hands. I was a failure. I’d messed up and was letting that failure become my identity. I readily listened to the voice of the enemy calling me a failure, a hypocrite, telling me I should be ashamed of my weakness. Drowning in a sea of self-condemnation, I could not imagine how God could ever love me after I rejected His love, chose my own will over His will, and turned away from true good for passing pleasures of this world. I sometimes still find myself in that place. Sometimes I am still weary of my sinfulness, overwhelmed by the manifold ways in which I choose to turn away from the Lord’s goodness, love, and mercy. But now, things are different. Now I know the lies the enemy delights in using against me when I get caught in a spiral of shame and, rejecting those lies, I can confidently embrace the truth of the Father’s love. Even if we turn away from His will, He does not reject us, but delights in waiting for His grace to stir our hearts. He invites us to conversion that we might change our minds after rejecting Him and go into His vineyard (see Matthew 21:29). Sister, as we journey through this season of Advent, listen to the voice of the Father Who calls lovingly to our rebellious hearts that we might be made humble and lowly, taking refuge in the name of the Lord. Look to the coming Messiah, becoming like us to save us, that you may be radiant with joy and your faces may not blush with shame (Responsorial Psalm 34). As you wait for the One Who will save us, hear the delight in the voice of your Father Who is close to the brokenhearted (Responsorial Psalm 34). The evil one delights in shaming us. The Father just delights in us! [bctt tweet="The evil one delights in shaming us. The Father just delights in us! // Sister Maria Fatima " username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

“Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.” // Luke 18:7-8 “Sister, you don’t trust the Lord.” My face must have given away my reaction of shock, perhaps indignation, because the next thing he said was, “I’m not putting words in your mouth. Everything you just confessed has lack of trust at the root.” He was right. But his frank declaration of my lack of trust after I had just vulnerably laid out my sins stung a bit. I mean, I am a Religious. I know God is trustworthy, a good and loving Father Who keeps his promises. The reality, though, is that I often pray more out of a spirit of desperation than one of trustful hope. Knowing God is trustworthy and actually trusting Him are very different things. How often do we go through the motions of praying for the resolution to a situation or a particular person’s conversion because “it’s what we’re supposed to do”? Do we really pray in true trust and confidence that the Father will accomplish all in His will and His time? Do we keep praying in a spirit of trustful hope day after day, month after month, year after year, confident that Our Heavenly Father has not abandoned us, even when we see nothing happening, practically speaking? Sister, He is at work. He hears you, and He is waiting for you to keep coming to Him, seeking a resolution. But He also delights in you and knows that with every act of faithful prayer, He is growing trust within your heart; He’s revealing Himself as your Father. Beloved daughter, do not lose hope, do not waver in trusting that your Father hears you. Your Father gazes in love upon you. And you, chosen and beloved one, will receive from Him whatever you ask for in faithful trust. But remember, when the Gospel promises that justice is done for them speedily, one day within His house is as a thousand elsewhere. Father, help us to trust You more and more each day that we might confidently come to You with our every prayer, knowing that You hear us and will answer us, even when it seems that You are not near. [bctt tweet="He’s revealing Himself as your Father. // Sister Maria Fatima" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will. // Ephesians 1:5 My hands were shaking, whether from the cold or trying to hold back emotion it’s hard to say. We stood on the National Mall in Washington, DC surrounded by a sea of humanity awaiting the start of the March for Life rally. I stopped shaking long enough to take the picture. Standing before me was one of my 8th grade boys and his mom. Looking at them you’d never know they were mother and son, but the sign they were holding, the reason for my emotion, told the story, “Love Them Both.” Fourteen years earlier that now-teenager was born because his mom and her husband decided to “love them both” and accompanied his birth mom through nine months of a crisis pregnancy that ended with him in their arms as their adopted son. Sister, how many stories are there of babies placed with families because someone decided to “love them both” and embrace the gift of life through adoption? How many beautiful lives are being lived at this moment, that may have never been, if it weren’t for the self-sacrificing love of a mother who courageously gave birth to her child and heroically placed him for adoption? On a much deeper level, we all experience this story of love. We were all rescued from the darkness of death by a Father Who loves us beyond imagining. We are not simply brought into His family, but made like Him, sharers in His Divine Life. He renews and restores our identity, chooses us to be His Own by Baptism, rescues us through His Son’s sacrifice on the Cross. Sister, live this day in joy giving thanks for our adoption as His beloved daughters. Let’s also pray for all families who have welcomed children through the gift of adoption and for the mothers who have courageously placed their child for adoption. May all lives touched by adoption know the love of our true Father in Heaven. [bctt tweet="He chooses us to be His own. // Sister Maria Fatima @SistersofMaryOP" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

Now I know that God is with me. In God, in whose promise I glory, in God I trust without fear. // Psalm 56: 10c-12 I ran up the stairs at the end of busy, high-school Monday, smack into my twin brother who was coming down the stairs in an apparently providential meeting—for him. He wanted the car keys even though a) it was my day with the car and needed to get to tennis and b) he just wanted to hang with his buddies. Anger rose in my chest as I prepared to not-so-charitably tell him what I thought of his proposal. Then for the first time in our relationship, I didn’t yell or get annoyed. I took a deep breath, and an incredible peace flooded my soul. All the words I wanted to say fled, along with the desire to say them. Calmly and rationally, I explained that I needed the car and couldn’t change my plans last minute. I walked away peaceful and calm—still going up the stairs, of course, while he huffed off to complain to his friends. As I drove to the tennis courts, I was slightly in shock at how calm I had managed to be and realized the reason for it. I had just come from a retreat with the Eucharist at its literal center. All weekend my heart had been tilled, nourished, and made fertile ground for the Word of God. I could say with the Psalmist, “Now I know that God is with me. In God, in whose promise I glory, in God I trust without fear”(Responsorial Psalm). It was from that place of confidence in the Lord that I was able to respond in charity to my brother. Sister, when we allow our hearts to be rich soil and embrace the Word with generous hearts, we bear fruit—fruits of patience, peace, and gentleness. Where do you need to grow in your confidence in the Lord’s presence in your heart? Where are the thorns that choke off its fruitfulness and leave you anxious and worried? Jesus, may Your Word penetrate my heart today, clear away the rocky ground, and take root in the fertile soil of my heart. [bctt tweet="Embrace the word. // Sister Maria Fatima @sistersofmaryop " username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

"But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." // Matthew 16:15-16 Growing up in Rhode Island, it was very easy for me to think the initials at the top of a crucifix meant, “In Rhode Island.” It puzzled me why people need a reminder of what state they were in when they came to church. It wasn’t until I was much older that I learned what INRI actually meant—“Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews.” When our pastor was interviewing me in preparation for my First Holy Communion, he asked me if the Eucharist was really Jesus or just a symbol of Jesus. My third-grade self confidently answered, without missing a beat, “A symbol.” FAIL—not the interview just the question, but still, a pretty big fail for someone about to receive her First Holy Communion. Father patiently explained the difference between the Eucharist (really Jesus) and the crucifix over the altar (symbol of Jesus). My knowledge of Who Jesus is was, and the catechesis I received, were clearly lacking in my formative years. If someone had asked me Who Jesus was, I’m not sure I would have had an answer beyond, “The guy on the cross who was born on Christmas.” While not untrue, certainly not the deepest explanation one could offer. The problem was, I knew some things about Jesus, but I didn’t know Jesus. “Who do you say that I am?” I can answer confidently now, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” “You are my Savior and Redeemer Who loved me enough to shed Your blood to wash away my sins.” “You are the Bread of Life whom I cannot live without—even for a day.” “You are the Bridegroom of Souls, desiring an intimate relationship with each of us.” “You are the Lord of Life Who brings me back to life when I come to you with a humble, contrite heart.” “You are the pillar and anchor of my soul.” “Who do you say that the Son of Man is?” Sister, allow Christ’s question to the Apostles to resonate in your heart today. Dig deep and let the Father in Heaven reveal Who Christ is in your life. [bctt tweet="He is the Bread of Life whom I cannot live without. // Sister Maria Fatima " username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

Take care you remain calm and do not fear; do not let your courage fail. // Isaiah 7:4a I’d never gotten out of bed so quickly in my life. We were supposed to be at the airport by 7:30 am, it was already 7! I was leaving to enter the Dominican Sisters, and after a late night of melancholy and last-minute packing, we all missed our alarms! In a total panic, we dressed, threw my luggage in the car, and sped off to the airport. Dad drove, Mom rode shotgun, and I hyperventilated in the back seat. Halfway to the airport the hyperventilation nearly turned to cardiac arrest when I realized my flight was an hour earlier than I had thought. Needless to say, an already emotional day notched up as I burst into nervous tears. My mom’s soothing preschool teacher voice broke through, “Hon, are you meant to be in Ann Arbor today?” I responded with doubt in my mind but unwavering confidence in my heart, “YES!” Since that day seventeen years ago, Mom and I have come clean about our true feelings that morning: she was ready to be sick on the car floor and I made that confident yes with no clue how or why I was doing what I was about to do! What we both had was faith. Even if we were both scared, nervous, emotional . . . basically experiencing just about every emotion under the sun, deep down we knew God’s will was happening in that moment. We didn’t know why, or how the future was going to play out, we just knew that we had to accept the crazy of the moment and trust God would take care of the details. As always, He does. Sister, sometimes life throws us curve balls and our best laid plans are thrown into disarray. We think we’ve done everything right only to see it seemingly fall apart. Wherever it is you find yourself questioning today, take courage in the Lord’s promise, have faith that His plan is at work. “Take care you remain tranquil and do not fear; let not your courage fail, and remember His promise, “[He] upholds his city for ever” (Responsorial Psalm 48:8). Sometimes missing the alarm leads to deeper trust in the Lord! [bctt tweet="Take courage in the Lord’s promise. // Sister Maria Fatima " username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

Know that the LORD does wonders for his faithful one; the LORD will hear me when I call upon him. // Psalm 4:4 The dense fog slowly cleared around the packed crowd of pilgrims, and my heart soared with gratitude as I stood in the place I had longed to be. For the entirety of the previous year my prayer had been, “Lord, I want to go on pilgrimage to Fatima. Make it happen . . . . Please.” Throughout the centenary year of Our Lady’s apparitions to the three shepherd children, opportunity after opportunity passed me by as other Sisters went to My Lady’s shrine. By the end of the summer, I was in the chapel, crying tears of bitterness and resentment, and my prayer became, “Lord, take this desire from my heart, give me the grace of surrender.” The next day found me providentially at my grandfather’s deathbed, the person who had led me to devotion to Our Lady of Fatima. As I prayed the Litany of Loretto and sang the Salve Regina, he passed into eternity while receiving the last rites of the Church. It was my first time being present for a death, and it was beautiful. My heart was full. My prayer over the following days was flooded with peaceful recognition that the centenary year gift that Our Lady wanted to give me was not a pilgrimage to her shrine, but the gift of being at my grandfather’s deathbed. A gift I never thought possible. The cry of my heart became, “Lord, You can bring me to Fatima whenever you want, but this was once in a lifetime. I surrender.” Within a week of my grandfather’s death, I got a phone call with an offer to go on pilgrimage to Fatima which would put me there on the actual 100th anniversary of the miracle of the sun. I was floored and, of course, accepted. Sister, Our Lord provides. Not in our time, not in our ways, not by our will. He is faithful to His promises and “shows off” His love for us in ways we often do not expect. Trust Him today. Trust, without fear of the unknown, the One Who promises to faithfully provide whatever we lack. He hears us when we call upon Him (Responsorial Psalm). [bctt tweet="Our Lord provides. // Sister Maria Fatima" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

He made us, his we are; his people, the flock he tends. // Psalm 100:3 My experience of college was miserable. I was away from home and desperately trying to find my place. It didn’t help that in just two weeks the three girls in my quad dorm room “voted me off the island,” and I was unceremoniously uprooted to a new dorm across campus. Lonely and isolated, I had nowhere to go. I had a small group of friends, but often found myself compromising my beliefs and morals in an attempt to “fit in.” At one point, I thought dating the agnostic guy down the hall would be the fix and even tried the rugby team for a bit. Needless to say, those did not do the trick. The only thing that “made sense” was when I would go home and attend daily Mass or Eucharistic Adoration. Rooted in Christ, all was right with the world. Then I would head back to school and the vicious cycle would start all over again. Those pious acts didn’t fit the “identity” I’d made for myself, so I’d plunge back into a misery of my own making. One night I was on the treadmill, mentally lamenting my distaste for running, when I heard in my heart, clear as day, “Then why are you running away from what I want for you?” Well played, Lord. For years He had been trying to draw my heart and help me understand that He had “chosen me out of the world” (John 15:18), but I wanted so badly to belong to a world that hated the real me that I was willing to cover myself in an ersatz identity in the hopes of being loved and accepted. The result? Misery. Sister, “He made us, his we are; his people, the flock He tends” (Psalm 100:3). Trying to run away from that only leads us further from our identity, co-heirs with Christ, raised from the dead (cf. Romans 8:17). If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1). Jesus, I belong to You. Bring me to Your heart that I might know You, and the One Who sent You (cf. John 15:21). [bctt tweet="Jesus, I belong to You. // Sister Maria Fatima @dsmmevocations" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. // John 20:16 I sported my purple JanSport backpack through all of junior high—because, well, it was the 90s. The only thing about it was the black sharpie screaming out three bold letters across the back: “F-A-T” courtesy of a classmate standing behind me in line after art class one day. When I discovered the graffiti after school, I didn’t tell anyone; I just tried to hide it. Washing it out, scribbling over it in pen, sharpie, magic marker, whiteout, you name it, I tried it all to no avail. No matter how much I covered it over, after a time, those three little letters came showing through my scribbles; and ultimately imprinting themselves on my heart. Names, things we are called, impact us, form and shape our identity—for good or for ill. If we’re not careful, we start to believe them. Then those names and things people tell us about ourselves become our identity, and we lose sight of who and what we really are—beloved daughters of a loving Father. I’ve been called a lot of things in my life, some good, true, and beautiful, some, well, not. I had to learn what the voice of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness sounded like so that it can overpower the voice of the evil one who does not want us to know who we are. Sister, Jesus knows your name, the Father knows your name, the Holy Spirit knows your name. They speak it in love, drawing your heart to the truth of who you are and calling your heart to respond in faith and freedom to His plan for you. Jesus, help me today to hear Your voice speak my name, telling me who I am, and calling me to mission for the salvation of souls. By the power of Your Spirit, drive far from my heart the false identities that speak over me; call my name anew today that I might respond “Rabbouni” and turn to You Who teaches me who I am! [bctt tweet="Jesus knows your name. // Sister Maria Fatima" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be well?” // John 5:5-6 I don’t think I’m alone in experiencing conversations like the following with my parents while I was growing up: Me: It’s just not fair! Mom/Dad: Life’s not fair! Whatever it was, and it was always something, it wasn’t fair! Looking back over my life, I’m not proud of what I’m about to share, I’ve often fallen into the habit of looking at what I didn't have and wishing I had it, or wanting something in my life to be different, I always felt like I wasn’t enough and that wasn’t fair either! I often found myself wallowing in self-pity wishing things were different, wishing I was better, wishing I didn’t struggle in the ways I did, wanting to make myself better. Notice how I said, wanting to make myself better. It’s often in those moments that Jesus breaks in. He comes to us; He sees where we are struggling and doesn’t ask us how He can make it fair. He doesn’t ask how He can make a situation better on the surface. He comes and asks, “Do you want to be well?” “But, Lord, I don’t have this one thing, I would need this or that, it’s not fair.” Do you want to be well? “Lord, I’m not good enough, I don’t have what it takes, it’s never going to happen.” Do you want to be well? “I’ve been struggling for so long, I’ve tried everything, nothing’s gotten better, nothing will ever get better.” Jesus doesn’t ask what we need or think we need to be well. He doesn’t ask what we need to make ourselves well. All he asks is, “Do you want to be well?” Sister, as we journey through this Lent, Our Lord is asking you today, “Do you want to be well?” Leave the excuses aside; set the despair aside. Let Jesus love you, let Jesus see you, and when He asks, “Do you want to be well?” simply receive His gaze and allow Him to make you well. Then take up your mat and follow Him. [bctt tweet="Let Jesus love you. // Sister Maria Fatima @DSMMEVocations" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it." // Matthew 16:16-18 Throughout my life I’ve experienced some pretty interesting expressions of our Catholic faith. And I understand why some think we’re a little . . . strange. We venerate the bones, hair, and belongings of holy men and women. We go especially crazy when one of those Saints is incorrupt, though I’m honestly dubious about the definition of that word when it comes to the Saints sometimes! We fill our homes, churches, schools, yards, and even sometimes dashboards, with statues of all shapes and sizes. Sometimes our statues are so “devout” they depict Saints venerating other Saints—statues of my patron are especially prone to this phenomenon! Considering all that, today’s Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter shouldn’t be surprising; but, let’s be honest, it’s a bit strange. Relics, I get that, statues, sure, but aren’t we going a bit far celebrating a liturgical feast for a piece of furniture? This is where the “both-and” beauty of Catholicism enters in, that space where we recognize that both the tangible and the intangible have significance. Yes, there is a chair in Rome, cordoned off with velvet cords to keep the faithful from trying to chip pieces off to take home as relics. Yes, we recognize it as the spiritual seat of the first pope. Yes, today the chair is adorned with fancy flowers, flanked by lighted candles. But, sister, it’s not about the chair, it’s not even about Peter. It’s about Jesus. That chair represents the power Christ has given to the Church, the firm foundation upon which His bride has endured for over two millennia. Today’s feast isn’t about a piece of furniture; it’s about recognizing with Saint Peter that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Today, take courage and declare with Saint Peter the Lordship of Jesus in your life. Embrace the truth that no matter what challenges assail Church from without, she is built on solid rock and “the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against [Her]” (Matthew 16:18). As you declare Christ as Lord today, hear Him respond, “Blessed are you my beloved one” (Matthew 16:17). [bctt tweet="It’s about Jesus. // Sister Maria Fatima" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

"For the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." // 1 John 4:4 Why do you follow Jesus? I have found myself asking that question many times in my life, and today’s Gospel has me asking it once again. “And great crowds . . . followed Him” (Matthew 4:25). I am a follower of Jesus. I am a member of that great crowd. But why? Do I follow Him because my heart longs for the truth of Who He is? Because I know His love and desire to return it? Do I follow Him because I have heard and believed that “the Kingdom of heaven is at hand” (v. 17), so I leave behind what is not of Him and give Him all I am? Do I follow Him because, like the people in the Gospel, I have seen the great works He has done and believe because of them, or because I want the same for myself? Do I follow because I was once in darkness and now I have seen the great light (v. 16); and I desire to be led from darkness and death to light and life? The answer to all of these is, yes. I follow because I am a sinner, repentant and seeking mercy. I follow because I have seen and believe the marvelous works He has done and know His desire to heal me as well. I follow because He is the Light that shines in the darkness of my heart. I follow because the One Who is in me is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4). I follow because I belong to Him and, in Him, I conquer the powers of evil that try to tempt me away from the one whom I serve with fear and rejoice before Him (Psalm 2:11). Sister, why do you follow, and where is He leading you? [bctt tweet="He is the Light that shines in the darkness of my heart. // Sister Maria Fatima" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

"Ask for a sign from the Lord, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky!" // Isaiah 7:11 “Ahaz, he’s an idiot!” Father said it in jest, rifling through the lectionary quickly reviewing day’s readings. It was the end of the semester, we were all a little slap happy, and we thus found his assessment of Ahaz’s response utterly hilarious. To this day, I cannot read this reading without remembering that encounter. I still hear Father’s voice declaring Ahaz an idiot, and it still elicits a certain amount of amusement! Yet, I can’t help but think, “Well, he wasn’t wrong . . .” God: “Ahaz, ask for a sign.” Ahaz: “Who, me? Ask for a sign? Oh, no, I couldn’t. I would never" (see Isaiah 7:10-14). Then, I think of myself, how often do I echo Ahaz’s words, or at least his attitude? How many times do I experience the Lord offering His heart and delicately demure in seeming humility? We have a Father in Heaven Who desires to give us the world; He has in fact done so from the very beginning. And we, from the beginning, have been going our own way, reaching for the fruit, trying to get to Heaven without God, imitating the people at the Tower of Babel, and lacking in trust when what God promised didn’t come right away like Moses’ famous double hit at the rock. Like Ahaz, we refuse to ask for what God promises to give and freely offers. Contrast that to Our Lady who said, “How shall this be . . . . Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord, may it be done unto me” (Luke 1:37-38). Sister, trust the Lord when He tells you to ask for what you need. There is nothing you could ask of Him that is greater than what He has already promised and given! Dig deep, believe, ask, and let it be deep as the netherworld or high as the sky (Isaiah 7:11)! [bctt tweet="Trust the Lord when He tells you to ask for what you need. // Sister Maria Fatima" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

As a teacher, I sometimes long to hear my students say what Jesus heard in today’s Gospel. “Teacher, you have answered well,” and then no longer ask me any questions. Unfortunately, as a middle school teacher, my students are usually more like the Sadducees and less like the Scribes. They love to ask questions, to challenge, to dig deep. Sometimes sincerely seeking truth, sometimes, to “catch” me without an answer, which does happen. In fact, at the beginning of every school year, I warn my classes that I am not infallible. I make mistakes, I don’t always have all the answers; in short, I’m not perfect! Are there times I wish I were perfect, when I wish I had all the answers, when I wish auto-format wouldn’t keep numbering even after I tell it to reset, or that some magical computer fairy would warn me before I print 150 copies of an assignment with last year’s due date? Of course! But, that kind of perfection is apparently not my lot this side of Heaven. Thankfully, life goes on, and only my pride gets hurt! Sister, we are not like the “Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection.” We are like “those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead . . . the children of God . . . ones who will rise” (Luke 20:27, 35-36). We can be at peace. We are works in progress, slowly attaining to the perfection of eternal life, seeking truth and life. I can move forward in the light of Christ knowing that one day, I will hit print on a 100% perfectly formatted document, and my students and I will rejoice together! Until then, Sister, focus on what really matters, “Give thanks to the Lord with all [your] heart, declare his wonderous deeds, be glad and exult in Him!” (Responsorial Psalm) Lay aside your imperfections and lift your heart in praise to Him Who “is not God of the dead, but of the living” (Luke 20:38). He is the One Who does all things well. Let Him do those wonderous deeds in you! [bctt tweet="He does all things well. // Sister Maria Fatima" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

Fear, shame, powerlessness, and hopelessness. For years, these were the four walls that surrounded me, with a roof of isolation and a floor of unworthiness. That was the space I had built for myself with my sin. Over time, the walls grew thicker and darkness more intense. Occasionally, I would find a door or window and crack it open to the grace of the Sacraments. At those moments, I could see I was living in a room of lies. I would step out into the light and breathe the air of freedom. After a while, though, my weakness, pride, kept me from journeying too far out into the light of truth. I had built that room; it was mine. I wanted to stay; I would fall back into the darkness of my sin, shutting the door against the light. There I stayed, living trapped in the cycle. I knew the light was just outside and experienced it for a time, but felt too weak to leave the comfort I found in the darkness of slavery to step fully into the light of grace. I yearned for and desired freedom, but felt powerless to stay in it. Eventually, the Holy Spirit broke into that place of desire and shined His light on my true identity, not a slave to sin and darkness, but a beloved daughter of the Father, made for the freedom of obedience to Christ (see Romans 6:17). The power of His light shattered the lies, the walls, and I was no longer bound by the chains of sin. I was yoked to the sweet burden of Christ; to the truth of what it means to live in the freedom of baptism where “[s]in is not to have any power over you” and “[f]reed from sin you have become slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:14, 18). Sister, where are you believing lies about your identity today? What are the chains holding you in the darkness and lies of sin? Surrender to the One Who desires your freedom in the light! [bctt tweet="Live in the freedom of baptism. // Sister Maria Fatima" username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion

“My God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You, and nailing You to the cross by my sin . . . .” I finished my Act of Contrition, and the priest responded with the Church’s beautiful words of absolution. As I got up to leave, he stopped me and said, “Sister, it is true that Jesus offered Himself on the cross for our sins. Remember, He chose to do it. He did it because He loves you.” More often than not, when I look at the crucifix I see my sin, my failure, my rejection of His perfect love. I forget to see Christ’s love for me, for us. The love that led Him to immolation on the Cross. I let the Cross justify my self-condemnation instead of heal and free me from the bondage of sin. The reminder from that priest, though, changed that. Jesus willed, He chose, to suffer because He loves and desires to bring us to life. “Even when you were dead in transgressions . . . he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions; obliterating the bond against us, he . . . removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-15). The nails pierced His flesh not because I have sinned, but because He allowed the flesh to be pierced. He nailed my sin to the Cross, so that it no longer has the power to condemn. Yes, the Cross exists because of sin, but the Cross has power because of the Divine Love of Jesus. Love that restores, heals, and transforms us into His new creation—beloved daughter. I pray today that you have eyes to see the Cross not as a tool condemning you because of the ways you’ve turned away from God, but as a sign of the unique, infinite, eternal love that God has for you. May the power of the Precious Blood of Jesus flowing from His pierced side heal, restore, and refresh you today as you embrace with confidence the truth that “[t]he Lord is compassionate toward all his works” (Responsorial Psalm). [bctt tweet="The Cross has power. // Sister Maria Fatima " username="blessedisshe__"] listen to today’s devotion