Children of Mary -
Sister Tracy's Story
My spiritual journey began when I was very young and I started attending my aunt’s Protestant church. However, as I grew older I stopped attending church and grew more stale in my zeal for God. Most of my mother’s side of the family were Catholic, so I had been to Mass on various occasions. However, it was not until 8th grade when invited to a Life Teen Mass by my cousin that I fell in love with Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. From that day on I yearned for Him. Immediately, I attended RCIA and the following Easter I received the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and I received Jesus in Holy Communion for the first time. It was not until later in my Catholic Faith that the Scriptures started to really come alive for me in relation to the Eucharist. For example, to non-Catholics the term “living tabernacle” and the idea of our bodies being the Temple of God does not have its fullest potential, and in a sense they have only touched the tip of the ice burg. Now, everyday, I receive the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ in Holy Communion, and I can say and understand that my body is the living tabernacle of Jesus Christ and my body is His Temple in which He dwells. I have come to understand the Sacred Scripture passage of John 6: 54 because I have found the true Church,or really Jesus Christ led me to His Holy Catholic Church. “Whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” “For My Flesh is true food and My Blood is true drink.” “Whoever eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood remains in Me and I in him.” Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Our God, gave His Church power to do what He did at the Last Supper: change bread and wine into His Body and Blood. This power has been passed down through the centuries from the apostles, the first bishops, to the present day bishops of His Church, and now each day I eat and drink and partake of this banquet and God willing, I will until I am with Him in glory.
Anyway, back to my story - I soon graduated from high school and did not know really what I should do so I went to college and graduated with a two-year degree in business management. But I was not happy. Between work and college it seemed there was very little time for God if any at all, and my soul was not at peace. Before graduation I really started praying to God, “What do You want me to do?” Everyone was telling me to go on and get my bachelors degree, but I kept praying and asking God what He wanted. One day He told me, “Why don’t you become a nun?” I was shocked because I had never thought about it before. But in obedience I started making some calls. I spoke with Fr. Adam Streitenberger, our associate pastor, and he gave me a book that listed different orders and what their life was like. I met with a couple of different orders but nothing felt right. I started to get a little discouraged when one Sunday at Mass I noticed two nuns dressed in purple and white. I felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit to go over and talk to them and so I did. Shortly after that I went out to their convent for lunch. Some weeks later I went for a two-week retreat; I left with an application to enter. However, before that point there was a great battle between my will, my flesh and God’s will. I did not think this life was for me. Surely I could not do this, and I was right. “I” can do nothing but with God “we” can do anything! Thanks be to God I obeyed His command to be a sister at the Children of Mary and it has been the best decision of my life. The peace, joy, hope, and love He gave me when I answered His call no matter how scary or unworthy I thought I was is incredible and beyond words. The truth is no one is worthy but if and when He calls you, obey immediately and trust in Him because He knows when and how many times you will fall and yet He still wants you to be His bride and will always take care of you, whom He loves and for whom He was willing to suffer.
Sister Tracy
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