With Every Cut I am Pruned and Shaped
With joy and gratitude welling up from my heart, I recall Blessed Mary of the Passion, whose faith, courage, conviction, silent suffering, her hope in divine providence, her humility and simplicity, to approach the Superior General Fr. Bernardino, whose guidance led her to Fr. Raphael OFM, who in turn with his strict vigilant guidance, led us all to this day, shaping us through the prompt, strict principles Mary of the Passion received from him.
When I spend time to read the life of Blessed Mary of the Passion, often I wonder why the Good Lord brought her all the way to India, to the down south Tiruchirapally and Tuticorin, to get captivated by the simple love, admiration and dedication of the people of Tuticorin and Adaikalapuram.
God’s loving and pruning ways are beyond our grasp! Through every touch and stroke the Artist can bring in new life and a new shape, new colour to the painting that He has begun to express, that is unique and original of His masterpiece. God’s ways are not our ways – His thoughts are much higher above our thoughts.
When the Lord begins to shape a human life in a way that is surprising, full of purpose, oriented and inspiring, how uniquely He has carved me and shaped me after His will. When my classmates were more attractive, intelligent, daring and courageous, the Lord chose me from the school/college of 2500 pupils. After choosing and leading me to a different setup, He began to shape me by pruning.
What a unique and impressive experiences He brought into my life, through the guidance of the Provincials both in Chennai and Ooty, and the formators at different stages – Pre-Novice mistress, Novice mistress, and Junior mistress.
The metaphor of pruning has a world of meaning. Just as the gardener cuts away the branches, not to destroy the plant, but to help it bear more fruit, so too God gently and persistently trims away parts of our life that hinder growth. He removes the thoughts that are not helpful for our growth, the distractions, friendships, the overgrowth of ego, so that our lives may become more aligned with His plans.
God has pruned my way of thinking. He purified and cleansed the intentions of my life, my scattered thoughts, ambitions of the world, personal desires for a dashing life, etc. God wants our intentions to be His intention, so that what we long for is no longer for self-glorification but obedience to His will. With changed convictions, I could ask, “Lord, what do You want me to be?”
When our heart is open to His ways, He turns to our hearts and prunes our affections, so that our hearts may be wholly turned to Him.
He gently guides us away from attachments to people, places, possessions, ministries, and desire for success that pull us away from God. In the course of His pruning, we begin to desire what He desires. God prunes our whole being – our will, memory, understanding, our dreams, and aspirations.
This pruning is revealed to us through challenges, loss, or inner restlessness. But always it is aimed at making us more free – free for the Lord. Free to love, free to serve, free to follow Him wherever He leads.
Me and each of us!!
Sr. Karuna Vincent hails from Tiruchirapalli Cantonment, a place graced by the presence of Blessed Mary of the Passion. She comes from a family of Brahmin converts, inspired by Jesuit missionaries in Trichy.
She joined the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM) in 1973 and completed her formation in Coimbatore and Bangalore. She has served extensively in the Andhra-Mumbai Province (now Assunta Region).
With rich experience in education, Sr. Karuna has worked as a librarian, teacher, Principal, and Superior in several institutions, including Maris Stella College, St. Clare Convent High School, Villa Theresa High School, Sacred Heart High School, and Rosary Convent High School. She also served postgraduate students and later worked in Goa as Headmistress and Superior.
She is deeply committed to guiding students through education, personal care, and prayer.
