Jesus Caritas

Katrina and her dadHaving lived most of my life as a Little Sister in big cities...Birmingham, London, Hamburg, Berlin, with 2 periods in smaller places, Walsingham and Graefentonna (Germany), life has led me back to a small town lying at the foot of the Chilterns in the heart of England. Yes, this is where God wants me to be at this moment.

My mother's illness brought me here and, after her death, my father's illness led me to prolong my stay. Now my “not so good health” shows that for the moment, in order to support my father further, it is better for me to live near him, at the same time keeping in close contact with my community of Little Sisters in Hackney.

When my mother was alive nearly my whole time was spent helping my father and sister to look after her. There wasn't much time to think of anything else. My life of prayer was lived as a presence to my mother in her journey towards that final meeting with Jesus. During that time I heard of CarersBucks , who help people in caring for their relations at home. I remember going to one of the courses they offered. Looking around the circle I saw people of all ages and backgrounds, their faces marked with tiredness. I wondered just how many people were in this situation...just loving people, totally given to caring for their loved ones in sometimes very difficult and challenging circumstances? Here I thought, is the seed of the Kingdom of God.... my prayer corner

My father doesn't need the same level of support and help as my mother. I now have more time to get to know better the neighbours and the parish, to spend a little more time with my sister and her family and to do a little craft work at home from time to time. As I am limited in just how much I can do, I have more time to pray in the little prayer room I have in my flat. My prayer has become my main “work”...a prayer of thanksgiving and intercession for all those I meet, with whom I have contact, who ask for my prayers. My life is very much that “simple “life of Nazareth, of being present, in this moment, to what Today asks of me.

Bill and his great grandsonI enjoy my little trips to Hackney now and then to see the Little Sisters. It was on one of these trips that I was given another little “insight” into the Kingdom of Heaven. ... I was waiting for a bus at Old Street. It was cold and rainy. Two women were also waiting. A mother and her daughter, both heavily veiled. The daughter was looking at her phone. “Would you know when the bus is coming?” I asked. They edged closer to me and so began an animated and friendly discussion about living together with neighbours from different countries, trying each other's food, supporting one another....And then an Asian lady got off a passing bus and joined in our conversation, laughing, sharing stories ….”Oh, if only we could all get along like this”, said one, “the world would be a different place!” So there we were, four people from three different countries and quite the other in her “otherness”, and a joy in being together....a glimpse probably three different religions. There was an implicit acceptance ofof heaven?

Yes, I find life is an “Adventure with God” wherever one is, whatever one is doing. And the adventure lies in recognizing God at work in the smallest details of our lives......