By Benedictine Sister Stefanie MacDonald, OSB

As a Benedictine Sister, I usually join my own community for Eucharist. But while visiting my family in Dubuque over the weekend, we went to Mass at my home parish where we enjoyed a different take on the Thomas story.

Instead of the usual talk about his doubting – and don’t get me wrong, it is important to reflect on that – we heard a reflection on Thomas’ need for a personal experience.

The pastor said, “Thomas demanded a personal experience, and we should too!”

We all need and deserve personal experience. But how can we get it?

The pastor said, “The personal experience of Christ is found in community … and we can experience it with our presence.”

Yes.

Here’s what that means to me: I need to be at Mass with my church community, to be present to the people who sit around me. I need to be with my Sisters … really with them. I need to be with who I am with, here and now, at Mass, at Prayers, at dinner, in the hallway, in the classroom.

And I need to be in silence, alone, with God.

God is in and among every living being … God is in our own hearts. That is where we will find our personal experience.

If we don’t make both community and silence a priority in our lives … if we don’t make time to listen to the whisper or feel the nudge … we will not be able to hear the “small, still voice” calling us out of our selves and into Church … calling us into our meaning and purpose in our life.

I’m here if you want to talk: (309) 283-2300 or smacdonald@smmsisters.org. ❤