At the Lokia Residence in Trois-Rivières, Canada, our superior, Sister Gisèle Lacerte, shared with us some reflection index cards inspired by the book *Aux portes du soir* (*Aging with Splendor*), by Dolores Aleisandre.

Home

I have experienced this journey as a gift of spiritual growth.  What is often called the “golden years” sometimes seems uninteresting to me… But I’ve realized that I focus too much on what I’m losing and forget what isn’t lost…Yes, my body is losing its vitality and physical beauty, but what is lost on the outside is gained on the inside!

The gaze

Jesus says, “Dare to hope for what seems impossible to you.”  For Jesus to act, I must surrender not only what I possess, but above all, who I am.  In the face of loss, I always have the choice to live in bitterness and longing or to trust the One who loved me first.  To immerse myself in the hope of the One who has saved the best wine for the last.  To choose to prepare myself for the encounter with the One who expects nothing from me but trust and gratitude.

The Belts

Whether we’re on a plane or in a car, we fasten our seatbelts.

So, what the “seatbelts” holding me back at an earlier stage?

I’ve jotted down a few:  a loss of energy and focus, the anxiety of realizing that every part of my body, one by one, is becoming less functional, and so on…

And the stress of waiting indefinitely for medical care – or perhaps not even having a doctor.  Jesus does not take away our fears, but he shares them with us.  He tells us, “Launch out in the deep.”  “I am with you always.”  Mt 28:20 “My power is made perfect in weakness.  My grace is sufficient for you!”   2 Cor 12:9

Liberation

When I surrender myself into Jesus’ hands, he loosens my bonds, but sometimes I tie them back…  When I accept the inevitable wear and tear of my body, leaning on the One who is my Rock and my Treasure, then my heart breathes serenity.  Psalm 73: 23-26

“My days are in your hands.”   Ps 31:15

Bandages

“Each day has enough trouble of its own” … I would say: “In every moment, let us choose to move forward into the new day, into the present moment, even if it is accompanied by the pains of childbirth.

Faced with the decay of our bodies and our lives, we experience fears and anxieties.

Let’s step out of our comfort zone.  Let’s write a blank check to God for the future he holds in his reassuring hand.

Much like Lazarus, bound so tightly he was near death, certain bandages prevent me from moving forward and even from breathing:  physical frailty, loneliness, brain deterioration, etc.  Let us hear Jesus say, “Unbind him.”  And Jesus adds, “Go; your faith has saved you!”  Luke 7:50

How often have our fears given way to a surprising reality, completely different from what we had imagined!

Jesus sends us out, even today, by drawing us closer to him.  He never forces himself upon us, but gently knocks at the door of our hearts.  Rev 3:20

Love needs to be loved for its own sake.

Practical exercise

« We learn by doing. »  Each participant was invited to write down a loss and a fear on a strip of paper, which we then tossed haphazardly into a basket. 

To create a contemplative atmosphere, we listened to a song by Robert Lebel; here are a few excerpts:

“Very gently, take the time to journey to the inner land and draw from the wellspring of the heart…Gather with respect what is beautiful… Stop when the other is hungry… Fix your heart on the infinite.”

“Very gently, take the time to journey to the inner land and draw from the wellspring of the heart… Gather with respect what is beautiful… Stop when the other is hungry… Fix your heart on the infinite.”

Then one person read the strips of paper with our fears or loss aloud.  These expressions of our longings, received in an atmosphere of welcome and deep respect, brought us closer to one another.  “The truth will set you free.”  Jn 8:32

Life in abundance

Do I truly believe that Jesus is with us every day?  It is entirely up to us to choose to trust in that faith.  This faith assures us that Someone is at our side to support us amid life’s storms. 

The belts and strips represent the opening through which Jesus enters our inner dwelling.

May the power of the Resurrection fill us!  Phil 3:10

Thank you to Sister Gisèle for this spiritual journey that warms our sisterhood and rekindles our desire to care for all life.

Sister Angèle Lépine, F.J.

Trois-Rivières, Canada