Born for Greatness

“Oh no. The white habits are coming! The white habits are coming!” I thought to myself in a Paul Revere fashion as I noticed through a window that a group of Dominican Sisters were approaching my front door. “Quick! Grab the ipad! And a snack! Now, duck into the room before they see me!” Closing the bedroom door behind me just as the doorbell rang, I let out a sigh of relief, as if I had barely dodged a bullet. “Phew, that was a close call.”

I must admit that I never imagined that I would be a Dominican Sister one day. I never dreamt of becoming one. Growing up, the Sisters would occasionally visit my family. Whenever they caught me, they would always ask if I wanted to become a Dominican Sister. I would coyly smile before running off to avoid any further conversation about the religious life. I already had my own plans for my life. I desired greatness. I dreamt of becoming a successful cardiothoracic surgeon, living a comfortable lifestyle, owning a bakery and a Harry Potter-themed sweets shop, and traveling the world. Combining my God-given talents with my strong work ethic, I excelled in school and everything seemed like it was going according to plan.

Unbeknownst to me, God had other plans for my life.

A hunger and thirst for God slowly grew within me. At first, I thought nothing of it and stubbornly continued along my path. After some time though, I was no longer able to ignore the ravenous hunger that gnawed at my heart and soul. This desire for God manifested itself in a fathomless void that I felt inside. No matter what I did, I could not escape this feeling. When I re-evaluated my life and dreams, I was left to ponder, “Was this it?” Needless to say, I was not satisfied. I desired more. But more of what, I was not sure. I just knew that my past ambitions were no longer enough and that I desired something greater.

Providentially, while casually visiting the convent one day, something extraordinary happened to me. As I waited for the Sister whom I came to visit, I was suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of God’s immense love for me. In this moment, all of time and space seemed to have stopped, and I felt a strong conviction in my heart that told me, “This is it. This is what I’ve been searching for. I belong here.” Never before had I felt such a powerful experience. It was a call that reverberated and penetrated the depths of my heart and filled me with the courage to leave everything behind.

Now, I understand that the greatness that God intended for me did not merely consist of accomplishing worldly feats, but rather, doing all things with great love and trust in God. It is the greatness of realizing the full potential of every given moment for the loving faith-filled service rendered to God and to neighbor in the spirit of the Dominican motto: Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare (“to praise, to bless, to preach”).