Being awake

At the shrine of St Mary MacKillop in North Sydney earlier this year.

In the last couple of days we have celebrated two outstanding women saints, St Mary of the Cross (MacKillop) and St Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein). St Mary MacKillop lived out her mission in Australia and New Zealand involved with Catholic education among disadvantaged children. Edith Stein was a Jewish woman born in Germany, philosopher, convert and Carmelite nun who was executed by the Nazis in Auschwitz.

In the light of today's Gospel reading from Luke 12:35-40, these women were dressed for action with their lamps lit, ready and awake for the master's arrival.

St Mary MacKillop was awake to the plight of disadvantaged young people who needed support and encouragement in their faith and opportunities for learning. Relying on God's providence, she allowed the light of Christ within her to shine out to inspire the sisters that joined her and the young people she served. Despite the huge challenges she faced from Church authorities, she displayed great courage and dignity throughout her ordeals. She took up her cross.

St Benedicta of the Cross certainly took up her cross too. She was awake to the plight of her people and the huge suffering they were enduring. Although she could have been spared if she had remained in the Netherlands, she stood in solidarity with them facing death and the evil of the death camp head on confident that her Lord and master would not abandon her.

Despite the dangers, Stein felt a strong pull to return to Germany, believing that she could offer spiritual support to her people and witness to her faith amidst persecution. She saw her situation as a reflection of Christ's suffering and felt a responsibility to share in that suffering. 

Jesus encourages us to keep awake to the challenges and faith dimensions of our lives, to continue to seek understanding, to reflect on our experiences in the light of the Gospel and to stand in solidarity with those he stood with. In doing so we will be awake and still dressed for action when he stands at our door and knocks.

You may like to listen to 'We are Christ,' from Serenity.

Blessings on your week