Pray Share and Chat Sister Barbara Johnston, CSJ Memorial

This Pray Share and Chat session is dedicated to the memory of Sister Barbara Johnston CSJ.  

https://obituaries.ncnewsonline.com/obituary/sister-barbara-ann-johnston-1084293609

The Big Yes

haiku the big yes - YouTube

First Reading

The Annunciation  -  Luke  1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.  He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."  Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"  The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore  the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God." Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.

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Song Magnificat

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6_iixWJo-7k

Second Reading

1 Peter 8-11

8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 

Song The Beatitudes

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9kkjmXnIWow

Sister Barbara Johnston and the Associates of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Baden.

Sister Barbara Johnston was one of the members of the Sisters of St. Joseph that have offered unselfish service and dedication to make the Baden Associate group flourish. She became a co-director together with Sr.  Lynn Miller of the CSJA board from 2003-2010. 

She also was part of the orientation committee with associates like Natalie Foley and Mary Cay Burke-Hamill.  One would see her in every orientation meeting with her ubiquitous camera and stand patiently recording the presentations.  

While working in different positions in the parishes in Masontown and New Castle, her relationships with some of the parishioners inspired them to become associates.  They are Linda Rohol, Linda Patrick, Eleanor Krueger, Patti Daugherty and Judy Movic. 

At one time she gave a huge gathering of associates at her beautiful home in New Castle.  It was a wonderful event marked with her hospitality and organizational skills.  

She delighted in every event that happens to the associates.  I will never forget how tearful she was when she rejoiced on the publication of the Associate Cookbook in 2008.  I was surprised and touched how open she was in showing her joy.  

In 2006 she gave a retreat together with two associates, Dotty Kocur-Boccilli and Christine Hoffman on the Maxims: The Pearl of Great Price.

I could not find the handout of her beautiful talk on this topic.  If I remember correctly, she likened the maxims to the pearls that develop inside the oyster shells.  The pearl or nacre is actually produced in layers by the oyster as a protection from any irritant that enters the oyster. 

The Maxims are like the pearls in our formation as associates   They help us by building strength within us.  

Another metaphor using pearls is how when light strikes the pearls some of them are reflected while others are absorbed.  The combination of the different wavelengths results in their beautiful iridiscent finish.  

We are like the pearls.  We are reflections of our "perfectly imperfect selves" that are formed with the help of the Maxims and persons who care like Sister Barbara. Thank you, Sister Barbara.  Pray for us up there which is referred to in one of the parables as the Pearl of Great Price. You have been an iridescent presence in our lives 

Reference HOW DOES A PEARL COME INTO EXISTENCE? » SCIENCE ABC

TESTIMONIES

Song You by kathy sherman

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G3ii_5LzYqk

Prayer

Let us pray the Trinity Prayer that was used during the retreat and read by Chris.

Consecration to the Two Trinities by Jean-Pierre Médaille, SJ, as found in the Maxims of Perfection.

Consecrate yourself often to the holy and uncreated Trinity of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. To the created one of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and to all the saints of heaven. Together with this consecration make the following firm protestations : 

 Declare firmly in honor of God the Father that you will practice what, according to your knowledge, is the more perfect; what you believe corresponds to his greater glory and to the greater contentment of his sovereign Majesty. 

 Declare firmly in honor of God the Son, that you will try to imitate his total self-emptying and totally empty yourself of self. 

 Declare firmly in honor of God the Holy Spirit, that you will free your heart from the love of every created being in order to fill it with the pure and perfect love of God and to do everything in the constant practice of this holy love. 

 Declare firmly in honor of the Savior Jesus that you will put aside your old self so that you can put on the new, namely Christ Jesus himself, living, insofar as you can, by his life and in the perfect imitation of his virtues. 

 Declare firmly in honor of the Blessed Virgin who was full of grace and used that grace so well that, in imitation of her, you will be perfectly faithful to every grace of the Holy Spirit.

 Declare firmly in honor of the glorious St. Joseph, that you will serve and love Jesus and Mary wholeheartedly as he served and loved them, and that when you serve the neighbor, you will do so in Joseph's spirit of humility, gentleness and charity. 

 Finally, in honor of the angels and saints, declare firmly that you will try to model yourself on the example of their holy life and never do anything that contradicts the seeking after the great virtue. In particular declare firmly that, like them, you will have a tender, strong and constant affection for - peace and intimate union with God, - cordial charity towards and forbearance of the neighbor, - humility profound and totally emptied of self, - the simplicity, gentleness and moderation of the Gospel, - childlike obedience that does not line up its arguments in advance, - poverty perfectly stripped, - mortification discreet and generous, - above all, very innocent purity of heart which is the foundation for all these beautiful virtues. 

Conclude these devout protestations with a Veni Creator in order to ask the Holy Spirit for grace to keep them exactly and to take advantage of them in such a way that, having lived on earth as the saints did, you may share in their glory forever and ever. Amen. God be blessed.

Song

Let Your Light Shine in Us - YouTube