Idle Hands

A few nights ago I began asking the Sister´s why they decided to become sisters. They said their choice to become a nun boiled down to the girls. Salesian sisters are here for the girls, just as the brothers are there for the boys. They do what they do to provide for a better future for the girls. They work and work and work to give girls here the opportunity for a better future. While they were talking the phrase ¨Idle Hands are the Devil´s Tools¨ came to mind. Definitely no idle hands here, tired hands, but not idle.

I am having a hard time imagining why someone would choose this lifestyle. I´m fairly positive these sisters don´t sleep, they certainly are not physically active, unless running to classes and meetings counts. One thing they are, is very busy. And not just a fruitless kind of busy, they are busy doing God´s work.

It made me think of all my activities prior to coming here. Now I´m not saying every activity was fruitless, but how much of what I did was just busy work? How much of the work I produced went to building God´s kingdom, to helping his people, to serving, and sharing His word? It´s one thing to be busy and not idle, but to busy doing God´s work? That is to be full of grace.

I think the most beautiful thing I have witnessed so far here is the attitude of the sisters. I remember the last time I worked this much, and it is not a period I handled with grace. These sisters, though - to steal a line from the Hail Mary - are full of grace. They are tired, and it shows, but the patience and calm with which they handle situations is amazing. Truely. I would be yelling or rolling my eyes. Like I said, they are full of grace. But that´s just from my perspective.