Benedictine Sisters of St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island, Illinois
January 2010
Benedictine Sisters monastery grounds at St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island, Ill Steps
Discerning your path in life


Spread Your Wings: A New Year's Resolution

When Sr. Mary Core brought a cocoon to her 4th grade classroom a few years ago, the students had lots of questions. "How can a whole beautiful butterfly come out of that?" "Does it hurt?" "Where does the caterpillar go?"

Sr. Mary just said, "Wait and see." Every day, the children would run to the terrarium when they arrived to see if the butterfly had "been born" yet. Finally, one day, she had.

As she stretched and fanned her wings, the children tumbled over one another with questions. Sr. Mary could answer them all but one. As the caterpillar worked to ready herself for flight, one little girl said, "It's hard work to be a butterfly, isn't it, Sr. Mary?"

Sr. Mary laughed and said yes, but she was moved by the child's observation. Being who you are meant to be is hard - and joyful - work. But the first step is not being who you are meant to be. It is discovering who you are meant to be.

Years later, Sr. Mary, who now serves as our Formation Director, found a story that helps her articulate her meaning. It's called "Hope for the Flowers," by Trina Paulus.

"It's a children's book that tells the tale of a young caterpillar who questions what life is all about," Sr. Mary says. "After many experiences, the caterpillar finally understands that in order to become who she is meant to be, she must give up all that she knows."

Yearning for More

Once upon a time, the story goes, a young caterpillar named Yellow struggled to find her purpose in life. Was she meant to crawl forever? Was she meant to step on others as she struggled to make her way to the top? Why did she have a constant nagging sense that there must be more to life?

"What in the world do I really want?" she sighed. "It seems different every few minutes. But I knw that there must be more."

After much worry and wonder, Yellow met a wise old caterpillar who helped her understand her destiny - and the risk it represented - should she accept it.

Yellow asked, "What is a butterfly?"

"It's what you are meant to become. It flies with beautiful wings and joins the earth to heaven. It drinks only nectar from the flowers and carries the seeds of love from one flower to another. Without butterflies, the world would have fewer flowers."

Yellow gasped: "It can't be true! How can I believe there's a butterfly inside you or me? Do you need to die to become a butterfly?"

"Yes and no," the gray caterpillar said. "This may look like dying but actually you will still live. Life is changed, not taken away. Isn't that different from those who die without ever becoming butterflies?"

"And if I decide to become a butterfly," said Yellow hesitantly, "what do I do?"

"Watch me. I'm making a cocoon. It's a halfway house where the change takes place. It's a big step, since you can never return to caterpillar life. And the change is so slow that anyone who might peek in may feel that nothing is happening. But the butterfly is already becoming. And once you are a butterfly, you can really love: the kind of love that makes new life."

Your Next Step

"We all can become butterflies," Sr. Mary says. "Whether we become Sisters or get married or choose single life, if it's what God intends for us, we bloom. We need to say yes, though, to the possibility of transformation. We need to say yes to becoming something new."

Take this parable to heart this year, and take the next step along the road to your transformation. Visit us on February 5-7 to begin discovering if you are meant to become a Benedictine Sister. Discover how you are meant to join the earth to heaven. Discover your inner butterfly!

Let Sr. Bobbi Bussan know you plan to come. Call her at (309) 283-2300, or email her at [email protected]!
     

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From our vocation blog:

As we continue through the Christmas season toward Epiphany, we reflect on the Holy Family.

From our Oblate blog:

Ric stands in the Communion line with someone he doesn't like.

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We welcome your questions! To learn more about our prayerful and joyful way of life in community, contact Sister Bobbi Bussan!
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Benedictine vocation director Sr. Bobbi Bussan, OSBTo give you a chance to learn about Benedictine Sisters and our way of life, we welcome you for a visit. Call (309) 283-2300 or e-mail Sr. Bobbi to set up a good  time. Or join us and other single Catholic women for a Benedictine Experience Weekend February 5-7. No matter when you come, there is no cost to you. We look forward to a morning, evening, weekend or week with you! And visit our Web site at www.smmsisters.org.