My mama always said: we cannot sing and cry at the same time. Today we are celebrating seven “love stories” of our beloved Jubilarians. It is a day for great rejoicing. If you happen to be counting the number of Jubilarians today and only come up with six, that’s because our Sister Julie Walsh who would be celebrating her 70th Jubilee today took off a couple of months ago and went to heaven at 97 years old along with her 99-year-old sister, who lived in London who died a few days later. You can be sure those two amazing women born in Ireland are dancing a jig in heaven, along with, perhaps, a hearty pint of Guiness.

A few years ago, our religious community asked each of our sisters and covenant companions to write a brief summary of their lives. These summaries now comprise our Book of Life. The Book of Life questionnaire asks each of us to include: our date of birth, our parents’ names, our academic background, and a list of where we have served and the ministry we did there. The last question asks: “How would you like to be remembered?” Their responses were what intrigued me and got me thinking about each of their love stories. Because what was so touching for me is how I see each of them living out the dream of who they wanted to be.

Do you Jubilarians remember what you wrote? Do you remember how you answered the question, “How would you like to be remembered?”
I am going to remind you.

Sister Julie Walsh, 70 years wanted to be remembered as one who:
“Understood human nature and was compassionate especially to the downtrodden.”
So true for her as a nurse supervisor at St. Michael’s. She later served the downtrodden in clinics that served the poor.

Sister Margaret Grempka, 65 years wrote:
“As a loving presence, a blessing; as one who was delighted by small and large things, who created life-giving situations, who lived with grace in the mystery of life as an instrument of God’s healing love; who saw God in all things and helped others to do the same; as one who trusted in God’s grace and the Call of the Community; as Mother Clara’s daughter.”
Leave it to Margaret to be so thorough! Margie, you do and have always lived this way.

Sister Pat Norton, 60 years wrote:
“As a good friend, as a responsible community member and as a loving, conscious human being.”
Pat, you are a good friend and live consciously and lovingly as a daughter of God and as a Franciscan woman.

Sister Mary Ellen McAleese, 65 years wrote:
“As someone who cared about others…sought to live life fully…and often knew the connection of all that is. As someone who tried to live with a grateful heart.”
You do Mary. I cannot remember ever being at a mass where you did not offer an offertory intention that was full of gratitude for God’s blessings. You do live with a grateful heart.

Sister Jackie Drazen, 60 years wrote:
“I hope others will remember me as one who is a loving and caring person and one who prays with both my lips and my heart. I’d like to be remembered as a compassionate and af􀏔irming community member.”
You do pray with lips and heart, Jackie, and you offer such loving care of our community homes where our sisters can enjoy retreat and vacation time.

Covenant Companion Frank Bucaro, 25 years wrote:
“I would like to be remembered as one who was always grateful for all I had; as one who did his best on the journey; as a man who loved his family and modeled to all, the Franciscan Way that leads to Christ.”
Your Franciscan joy is contagious, Frank! And you have been a brother and a friend in our community for over 50 years, starting as a volunteer at our Cove Center, where you also met your beautiful wife.

Lastly, Covenant Companion Mary Ellen Durbin, 25 years, who could not be with us today because of a family commitment, wrote:
“I would like people to remember me as compassionate, as a friend, as someone with spirit and life, someone who is grateful for every blessing I have been given.”
What a blessing you are Mary Ellen, especially for your passion for justice and service to the poor as the Director of the People’s Resource Center for many years.

I don’t know about all of you, family and friends, but I think that during their lifetimes, these Jubilarians are doing a great job living out all their hopes for how they wish to be remembered. Don’t you?

The Jubilarians chose these three beautiful scripture readings which we have just heard. All of these readings speak about God’s tender love for them and for their love of God. It is also about our love for God and God’s unconditional and tender love for each of us.

In Jeremiah we hear, “The Lord says, for I know well the plans I have in mind for you; plans for your welfare, not for woe; plans to give you a future full of hope.” (Jer 29:11-14)

And in the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love…” (John 15:9-7)

Julian of Norwich, a 13th Century mystic, points to our greatest source of joy. She wrote: “Greatly aught we to rejoice that God dwells in our soul; and more greatly ought we to rejoice that our soul dwells in God. … It is a greater understanding to see and know inwardly that God who is our Creator dwells in our soul, and it is a far greater understanding to see and know inwardly that our soul, which is created dwells in God.” (A Revelation of Love, commonly referred to as Showings)

The tenderness and love God has for our Jubilarians and for each of us is revealed again in Christ’s words, “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain.” (John 15-9-7).

We have witnessed a lot of “fruit that remains” sown by our Jubilarians over their combined 370 years of response to God’s call. This fruit was sown as they: nursed the sick; visited the imprisoned; taught children; stewarded community resources; served as leaders in our community and multiple non-pro􀏐it organizations; served as chaplains; directed formation; planned liturgies; offered child care and housing; maintained retreat houses; consulted on ethics; mentored a recalcitrant teenager; raised families; restored debilitated bodies to wholeness; ran organizations that served the poor; and barbecued on all the special holidays; and more…and more…etc. etc.

You get the drift? Lives given over to God in the service of others. Thus
ful􀏐illing Christ’s words: “This I command of you: love one another.” (John 15-9-7).

As we celebrate the love stories of these Jubilarians today, I would like to invite each of us to re􀏐lect on our own love story between ourselves ad our loving, Creator God. God is working within all of our relationships, past and present, and in all the events and happenings, the challenges and hardships as well as the joys and celebrations of our lives. All of these lead us to become greater lovers. There are no coincidences with God. The Holy One is present in everything that happens in our lives. We need to remember Jesus’ assurances, “yes, when you seek me with all your heart, you will 􀏐ind me with you.”

The premier joy of our lives is knowing that Christ loves us and lives within us and within all of Creation. You can count on this!

We end as we started, thanking God and rejoicing over the love stories of these beloved Jubilarians and for our own love stories. Warmest congratulations from all of us to you!

By: Sr. Rose Mary Pint FCJM