Finding Answers in God’s Time

By Sister Stefanie MacDonald, OSB

Recently driving in the car with the radio on, I heard a song that really spoke to me. I still can't get it out of my head.

The lyrics - "It will be what it is meant to be" - help answer questions that people keep asking me. "Why do you live the life you are living?" "What does the future hold?"

Although these questions can be asked of anyone - and, perhaps, should be - in my case, they are about religious life.

They come partly because I'm vocation director, and partly because I'm the youngest member of my Catholic Benedictine community.

My answer is, like the song, "If it is meant to be, it'll be."

In other words, I don't know. But I intend to keep living my life in the here and now in the best way I possibly can. With my Sisters "right here next to me."

I believe everything will be alright, because my Sisters and I are unitedin our love of Christ, our lifestyle, our prayer and our love for one another.

Our core-gift to the world is modeled by living the way Jesus showed us to live: as equal Children of God.

Giving each other and others that gift from God makes our "now" joyful.

Like the song says, "We have nothing but time." And it is good, purposeful, joyful time.

We will find out in God's time - together - what the future holds.

And you? How are you answering the question of why you're living the life you're living?