LOVE JESUS CRUCIFIED

One day Catherine, a lady of noble birth, went to a Carmelite Convent and asked to see the Mother Superior. Even though the rule was difficult, she wanted to join the convent and become a nun. The Superior could see by the way she was dressed, that the girl came from a wealthy family.

In order to show her the difficulties of the religious life, and to test her vocation, the Superior led the young lady through all the rooms, and reminded her that she must give up doing her own will in the convent and that she must also do much penance.

To begin with, the Superior showed the woman one of the cells where each nun has very little, and only a simple bed to sleep on. Then she showed her the dining room and told her about the plain meals that were served there, which was mainly vegetables, bread, fish and fruit – nothing fancy.

She showed the lady other rooms too; and finally brought her into the chapter room and said, "Here, every Sister must publicly tell the other Sisters about any part of the rule she has broken. And here she will be scolded by the Superior for breaking the rule, and will receive penances that are hard to do."

During all this time, the young lady kept very silent, so that at last the Mother Superior asked in surprise, "My daughter, doesn't such a life seem too hard for you?"

But the lady gave the following beautiful answer, "Reverend Mother, I noticed that in every room — in the cell, in the dining room, in the chapter room, and in all the other rooms, there was a beautiful cross with Jesus Crucified on it. And wherever I find the Cross of Jesus, there I hope to find also, the strength to bear my own cross and in this way, gain Heaven."

The Mother Superior was most happy with the answer the lady gave and believed that she had a vocation. In fact, it was the best answer that any woman who wanted to join the convent, had ever given!

In his book called the Imitation of Christ, Thomas a Kempis says, "Whenever you suffer harm or injury, Christ with His Cross comes to meet you, and shows you the way which you must go, to reach the Kingdom of Heaven."

Happy is the person, who during their life follows Jesus; suffering in little or big things, and carrying their cross. We all get crosses: Your toy breaks, a car splashes you with muddy water, you have to write an exam, your mother or father gets sick, your brother hits you, your friend yells at you, your mother asks you to clean up your room…. But if you carry your crosses well and ask Jesus and Mary to help you, you will find life much easier and peaceful, and you will learn to love doing God's Holy Will.

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