This St Luke-tide is 16 years since I took life vows - having spent five years as a novice and then in first vows. I had come to Sheringham to give my life to God - working within the ethos of our community which is prayer and care. At least that’s what I thought.

I remember the first night as I sat in my room with quite a heavy heart having said goodbye to my family and to the church congregation to which I belonged - all of whom had come to my clothing - a service where I was given my habit. I said to my Lord ‘Well here I am. I suppose that I’m never going to have the opportunity to travel - what’s worse having left my family I won’t see much of them. Little did I know -I’ve travelled to more new places than I ever had before. As for family - my son and one daughter, with their families live close by, giving plenty of opportunities for visits. God always gives us far more than we could ever give him and it’s not only in the outward blessings - but it’s also in the inward gifts of joy, patience, love, peace, and kindness.

One of the things that happened during the noviciate was that I had to come to terms with the fact that I wasn’t ‘St Julie’. As I came face to face with my faults - I discovered that this ‘lump of coal was a long way from becoming a diamond’. And when I look back at that period of formation I realise it wasn’t a process just taking place during the noviciate but that it will continue until the end of my life.

And that my friends is the same for all of us, for you see, you don’t have to be a monk or a nun or wear a clerical collar to grow in depth of faith - to take a closer walk with God. All we need to do on our part is to have a regular prayer pattern, read scripture or maybe immerse ourselves in religious music or art. All of these enhance our communication with God, thus allowing us to be more receptive when God breaks through into our lives.

When we look at Luke it doesn’t take long to realise that his gospel focussed on the caring and compassionate side of Jesus’ nature. We have the story of the widow of Nain, whose only son had died, leaving her destitute and reliant on charity. Jesus took care of that by restoring life to her son - who in turn could now earn a living and look after her. We are told and I’ll quote ‘When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her’. He saw her pain and was moved to do something about it.

And the last two years have been a time of immense suffering. The pain of the COVID epidemic - the pain of wars and violence in our own country - and finally the pain of natural disasters, some of which have been attributed to global warming. Inevitably all this suffering has led to many deaths which, in turn, has led to the pain of bereavement.

Whilst we may have the opportunity to physically help others in some of these situations - it is our Christian calling to pray earnestly for those who have fallen upon hard times. For it is in engaging in prayer and grappling with difficult, often upsetting calamities, that we grow more compassionate and have greater empathy. In other words, whilst these prayers are being offered, God has the opportunity to break through into our lives encouraging us to be more like Jesus - to become caring and compassionate people. 

Amen.

Mother Julie Wiseman, Society of St Luke