The prophetic way
By Sr. Therese MacDonald, O.L.M.
May/June 2010
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(Credit: Christine Gebel OLM)Bernardo Bedoya, a lawyer from Colombia, visits Sr. Therese MacDonald at Our Lady’s Missionaries’ motherhouse in Toronto.
Joining Our Lady’s Missionaries in 1951 to serve God as a missionary, the farthest thing from my mind was the idea that religious life means to live in a prophetic way. Yet this is exactly what it means, says Sr. Sandra Schneiders of the Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Monroe, Michigan. Sr. Sandra is a Professor of New Testament Studies and Christian Spirituality and has done much work on behalf of reli-gious life. As I now see it, this prophetic way of life is about being with people, experiencing the same situa-tions, understanding these situations in the light of God’s love, and sharing this understanding. Doubtlessly this sounds like a big undertaking, but I am trying.
Today, religious Sisters, in spite of the fact that most are senior citizens, are still interesting, happy, and full of life, as well as interested in the world around them—trying to live the prophetic way. My ministry is with “Becoming Neighbours,” a program in which women and men religious around Toronto accompany new Canadians. In conversations with the two people whom I accompany, I am learning how it feels to be an immigrant in Canada in 2010. It helps that in the past I myself went to Brazil not speaking a word of Portuguese and had to work in that milieu. I try to understand the experiences of my new friends, sympathize with them, and offer some bit of advice. This ministry gives me a little idea of what so many people with whom I share this city have to face.
This form of life is about being with people, experiencing the same situations, understanding these situations in the light of God’s love, and sharing this understanding. Doubtlessly this sounds like a big undertaking, but I am trying.
One of my friends is a lawyer from Colombia. As I listen to his problems and chat with him, he in turn gets to practice and improve his command of English. I look forward to these weekly meetings and it seems that the feeling is mutual.
A few years ago I was introduced to a Muslim woman, formerly from Iran. I was able to help her by polishing her résumé and also practicing English with her. Gradually our meetings became fewer and fewer, and I hadn’t heard from her for more than a year. However, recently she phoned me and we were both thrilled to reconnect. Soon she is coming to visit.
Reflecting on these experiences in the light of God’s love, I hope that I am still living the prophetic way.
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