A few months ago, while attending physical therapy in Rivervale, New Jersey, I noticed a large picture of Lucy and Charlie Brown in the waiting room. Lucy was holding the famous football for Charlie to kick. If you are familiar with that particular cartoon, you remember that Charlie Brown fails to kick the football many times, because Lucy keeps pulling it back when he reaches the point of kicking. In the picture, Charlie looks very skeptical and downtrodden, and Lucy gives him some very important advice: "Never, ever, ever give up!"
In our scripture readings for today, we hear an echo of the power of these words. In the first reading from Acts, the high priest addresses the Apostles: "We gave you strict orders, did we not, to stop teaching in that name, yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man's blood upon us. But Peter and the apostles said in reply, 'We must obey God rather than men'."
In the Gospel, Jesus talks to the apostles as they reach the shore after trying to fish all night. Jesus was standing on the shore, but the disciples did not realize it was Jesus. Jesus told them to try again, casting the net over the right side of the boat, and so they cast it and could not pull it in because of the number of fish! They must have realized how good it was to never ever give up! Through the centuries, so many great holy people have made our world a better place by not giving up!
Let's travel forward in time now to the 19th century, the year of 1876. Alice Mary Thorpe and her sister Lucy, after coming to the United States from London, had a strong desire to work with indigent women and children among the poor immigrants in New York City. Their compassion and care coincided with that of Father Rockford, Provincial of the Dominican Friars of New York, and a home was soon established, offering a better life to those who were trying to survive. A small group of women came together to join in this work, and a seed was planted! This small community grew into what would eventually become known as the Dominican Congregation of Our Lady of the Rosary. During those early years of our community, we find many instances in which the challenges were almost insurmountable. Yet, somehow, they were met with great fortitude, courage, and trust in God. The members of our early community knew what it meant to "never give up."
As time has passed, we have faced new challenges, and together we have gone more deeply into who we are called to be and what we are called to do. Think of 1969, in which we began our renewal after Vatican II, and experienced a tremendous transformation which led us to be more in touch with God, ourselves, the people we served, and the world in which we lived. Several years later, we committed ourselves to a Ministry for Justice, and this commitment has deepened and broadened over the years.
Then, in 1984, the new structures we developed for shared decision-making needed to be changed because of Canon Law. This was very difficult for us. Nevertheless, we responded to God's Spirit and grew together in courage and creativity, finding new ways to live out our principles of collegiality and subsidiarity, which we hold so dear. We continued on with hope and trust in God and never gave up.
Now, here we are today in another very challenging moment in which we are again being called to a major transformation. But this time we are partners with our Associates, co-workers, our Blauvelt sisters, and other Dominican Congregations. We are also blessed with new companions on the journey, the Sisters of Christian Doctrine and the Redemptoristine Sisters, who have become a vital part of our lives here at Sparkill. Together we will continue the journey, listening with hope and trust to the Spirit's call amid a world and its people badly in need of healing.
Now, in this Jubilee Year of Hope, we celebrate the beginning of our 150th anniversary and the Jubilees of so many beautiful and faithful women. We embrace the challenge of this moment and stand firmly in our commitment to work and pray for justice and peace for everyone and all of Creation. Jesus is standing beside our boat, and Micah and Pope Francis are calling us to "Act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with our God."
– Sister Barbara Paul, OP
A native of St. Louis, Sister Barbara enjoys a prayerful and contemplative retirement at Dominican Convent in Sparkill.