My experience of belonging to the consecrated lifeSr. Suchita Lakra OP

Dominican Sisters of Presentation, Province of India

I had been in the community of Dhulkot and teaching in Ashirwad School and was assisting the girls in the hostel. I was transferred to M. P. H. and was doing general service in the community as well as provincial house and I did my D.Ed in St. Teresa’s T.T.I. Chamrajpet Bangalore. After completing I was send to Basti community and was teaching in St. Basil’s school. I returned to the provincial house to prepare for my final Vows and then to get ready with my papers to come to U S A. now I am in Dourdan community in the Vice-Province.of USA

As I reflect the joy of belonging to Religious Life I am grateful to God for calling me to the consecrated life in the footsteps of St. Dominic and blessed Marie Poussepin and giving me many opportunities in the Church through the Congregation and helping me to respond.to the call of God

I feel very much the joy of belonging to the religious family. It is not me but God who has chosen me. He has a purpose for me .That purpose is God’s love for me. He loves me unconditionally and in return I should love him, to be faithful to him and love my neighbors as myself. Love without expecting anything in return, serve without hesitating, give without repaid, forgive unconditionally and you will receive. This is one of my beautiful experiences: Being sensible to the needs of the others, flexible to the situations, being open to the community, the mission and to the Church helps me to know the purpose of my call.and fidelity to the love of God

A consecrated life is one which is “rooted and grounded in love. The community is the best place to live a life of holiness. I am loved, cared, supported, encouraged, I am forgiven. This helps each other to grow in deep faith, love and respect. The image of the body of Christ teaches that “we though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another”. We all have different characters, live together with the same purpose. God places us with difficulties, challenges, struggles, misunderstanding with the purpose to make me strong in faith. God speaks to me through different people, events and situations because he has a purpose for me but I never understand his ways and plans. Very often I question God why, how and why it is only me? God answers all our questions in his own time. He is ever.faithful to his promises. I need to trust and surrender at his feet

Do you remember the first moment that Jesus looked at you? Really looked at you? I am encouraged to see my vocation in the context of that loving glance; “the joy of the moment when Jesus looked at me” helps to recall the importance, demands and understanding the meaning of my call and respond to Gods call in love, hope. In all this the Gospel is full of joy of consecrated life. No surprise consecrated life is all about belonging totally to God and.spreading the Gospel. Let us imitate and follow Him more closely

I came not to be served but to serve”. Being part of the Vice-Province of U.S.A. mission” is a great opportunity for me. It is a joy to see the mission that sisters do with great love and to imitate the life of poverty that our Christ lived. It is an inspiration for me to live a life of simplicity, poverty and fidelity to God. I am proud to say that every small work that we do .with love has a value

Dominican Sisters of Presentation, Province of India