United in purpose and mission

October 24 we celebrated the official day of the United Nations. When I was in high school many many years ago I belonged to a United Nations club as part of civics class to study its structure and purpose. The purpose of the UN is the facilitation of cooperation in international law, security, economic development, social progress, human rights and achievement of world peace. (how did I do?)

Reflection of this day and the purpose I think they copied the purpose from the guidelines of my of religous community. The Guidelines by which we live our lines our purpose is to further the kingdom of God through gospel living and service to others especially the poor.
I was refecting on the countries from which the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother come from. Being in a international community provided me with a rich heritage of variety of ways of experiencing God, of worship, prayer, service and variety of way we live in community.

In my religious life I have had the privilege of living with Sisters from many different counties which provided  a challenge to my own understanding of what it means to be an American. I had not ever been called that until I lived in St. Lucia West Indies. One person asked me what nationality are you? I said German and they said or you a from Germany. I said no I am from the United States and they said oh then you are a American. I asked myself what is that and do I ascribe those characteristics to myself? Have you ever thougth of yourself as an American and what does that mean to you?

I am ever grateful to have the opportunity to live with so many Sisters from other countries. They have enriched my life.

I may have forgotten someone but here are some of the nations  from which my Sisters come:
Austria        Bahamas      Brazil      Belise   Colombia   Germany    Grenada      Goyna       Guyna     Ireland   
Italy   Korea   NativeAmerican   Phillippines     
 Poland    Switzerland   St Lucia     Tanzania Africa and United States. 
Provide for  your self a great opportunity for growth. Really know someone from another nation/country and you will also learn something surprising about yourself.

If we as a religious mosaic of variety of persons with different customs, beliefs and formation are striving to work together to bring to peoples experience the love of God surely we can be a witness this is possible.