Sr. Miriam Heidland: Made New in Christ

In the women’s session this morning, Sr. Miriam talked to the girls about experiencing complete freedom by allowing Christ to make them new.

Craving Freedom

We all long for freedom and adventure.  Sr. Miriam saw that sense of freedom one day in the airport in a little three-year-old girl who stopped dead in her tracks to lay down on the floor and make imaginary snow angels.  She was completely free from any fear of judgement or ridicule.  She was totally herself.

As women, Sr. Miriam explains that we are also called to be fearless.  It is that calling that causes us to be drawn to characters like Wonder Woman.  There is a part of us that craves that courage.  We are somehow aware that we are made for more, that we are made for greatness.

Pope Francis once said, “A woman is harmony, is poetry, is beauty.”  When we live a life of freedom, we reveal God’s goodness and draw others to Him.  We are called, in all ways, to nurture life.  Whether we are physical mothers or spiritual ones, every woman has the job of nurturing life.

Allowing God to Make All Things New

However, if we are to truly love as God designed us to love, we must first be free from all that is holding us back from him.  Whether we are holding on to ways that we have been hurt or ways that we have hurt others, Jesus wants to take it from us.  Sr. Miriam asserts, “We are only as sick as our secrets.”  Jesus always calls us out of the darkness of secrecy into freedom.

To get there, Sr. Miriam tells every woman to create an action plan.  Central to that must be sacramental grace, prayer, and virtue.  For many struggling with addiction, it is only a combination of counseling and grace that can bring true healing.

Sr. Miriam concluded the women’s session by leading the women in a reflection over John 8.

Watch Live Stream Footage of Sr. Miriam’s Talk!

Written by Emily Davenport
Emily is a student at Truman State University. She loves serving on the REAP team in St. Louis and spending as much time as possible with her youth group. Emily is also secretly a ninja (she has her black belt in Tae Kwon Do) and loves nothing more than driving with the windows down singing along to Taylor Swift songs.