Friday Night Spirits

I had had few experiences with nuns before beginning this trip, and I used to think that they spend of their time in chapels-occasionally making it out to attend Mass and teach school- and that they wear dark robes. I have since learned that those black habits and cloaks became optional after Vatican II, that only cloistered nuns spend most of their time in prayer, and that they all lead diverse, dynamic lives. This week, I met a Bohemian sister who lives at a retreat center, serves as a spiritual director, teachers art and Tao Chi, and spends her spare time writing. Another was a clinical psychologist dressed in a practical suit who was able to make insights as to how a group of young women she had just met would get along as roommates. There was also a down-to-earth sister who has set up a global program to empower and raise funds for underprivileged women.

I was able to spend even more time bonding with the Sisters when we visited the convent this tnight to have dinner with our spiritual companions. Our spiritual companions will pray for and listen to us and be with us in spirit while we are in mission. We all got to know each other by relaxing on comfy couches and chairs, munching on macaroni salad and sandwiches and chitchatting about creative cakes, snow in Texas, growing up in a funeral home and struggling to learn Spanish.

Jane remarked that the event reminded her of a sorority rush in college. I never rushed, but this past week has reminded me of my first few weeks of college. (I had five roommates freshman year.) Once again, I have been placed together with a group of strange young women and I am absorbing a new environment with them.

However, it's completely different from college in that what's missing is the presence of booze, boys, cigarette breaks, designer clothes, and looming deadlines. We've been stripped of crutches and distractions preventing us from knowing each other, ourselves and God. It's been a very relaxing and healthy period.

In a spirituality lecture today, I learned that vices common in college are actually a form of bad spirituality. I was confused by this because I thought all spirituality was good. In actuality, spirituality is a response to a longing within ourselves to know God. We can have habits that can be manifested healthily in order to know Him, or unhealthily in order to cover up that longing.

Healthy spirituality is developed through God and people. I found it interesting to learn that doing religious acts like prayer and going to church will not make us closer to God because we already close to Him. Instead we need to be aware of His presence and His love. As humans, we are full of divine energy and accepting this leads to healthy spirituality.

Admittedly, this topic is confusing to me and I don't fully understand it. If I were in college writing a paper on it, I would need to take a break and have a snack/grab a drink/talk to the guy across the hall and then delve into it more. However, I was able to find peace tonight simply by sitting with a groups of nuns and sipping lemonade with them, and I know that time will bring all the insights I need.