On March 1, 2025, five sisters in the Province of Sri Lanka / Pakistan made their final profession – one of these, Sr. Jenita Johnson, has embraced the contemplative way of life. This year, as we celebrate the bicentenary jubilee since Saint Mary Euphrasia founded the contemplative sisters, she shares with us in her own words the experience of her journey.
I was inspired to embrace the contemplative way of life for two reasons.
The first is because of the profound love toward our mission of reconciliation, reflecting the compassionate heart of Jesus the Good Shepherd and the aspirations of our Holy Mother Foundress, St. Mary Euphrasia. Throughout my life, I have experienced God’s merciful love, which has profoundly influenced my journey and inspired me to respond with love.
The second reason is that contemplative life reflects the incarnation of Jesus, who embraced humanity and humbled himself for our salvation. Throughout my discernment process to understand my religious vocation, I have frequently encountered a particular scripture passage that has guided me and my interactions with others, which ultimately led me to say a total “yes” to God’s call.
“…though he was in the form of God, [he] did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself…” Philippians 2:6
Facing Challenges
We live in a world that is constantly changing and filled with challenges. On several occasions, I have encountered challenges regarding my vocation through priests and religious who are engaged in apostolic ministries. They emphasize that we, as religious, must serve God’s people actively in the field, rather than solely in prayer or within the chapel. This caused some internal struggle. Through deeper discernment, prayer, reflection, and guidance from spiritual directors, I have come to realize that this struggle is also a means by which God helps me deepen and strengthen my choice of vocation.
I believe that difficulties and challenges present us with opportunities to learn from the past and face the future with courage, as they ultimately strengthen us. Whenever I struggle with my weaknesses and find it hard to move forward, I remember the advice given by my formator: “Don’t try to live your whole life at once. Take it one step at a time.” This advice inspires me to keep pushing ahead in life.
I strengthen my relationship with God by spending time in personal and communal prayer. Being still in the presence of the Holy Eucharist, admiring the beauty of nature, caring for others, and spending time in spiritual reading helps me connect with myself, God, and the world around me.
Living in community means we share many experiences together—we celebrate joyful moments and sometimes face misunderstandings that lead to reconciliation. I also make an effort to be available to help our sisters, especially the elderly, by simply being with them and listening – it deepens our relationship.
God always hears our sincere prayers when we are humble. People often ask us to pray for them and the problems they face, including family difficulties. In our community, we all share in these situations as if they were our own and pray to God for help. The encounter of experiencing when God answers our prayers always reminds me to ponder “Our hearts are filled with wonder as we contemplate your works, O Lord.”
Pictured above: Sisters M. Upeka Fernando, M. Chamudi Perera, M. Clodiya Sebastiyan, Moureen Perera, and Jenita Johnson
