Giving Ourselves to God
Julie Vieira, IHM, MA
Saturday, October 12, 9:30am-12:30pm
Suggested Offering: $25
What does it really mean to give ourselves fully and unreservedly to God? In the saints and mystics, we see this whole-hearted, whole-bodied desire and pursuit of God. Yet for us, as for them, it can be quite a challenge to truly “let go and let God” especially when we also need to provide for ourselves and others. We long for self-sufficiency yet our faith compels us to let go of even ourselves in order to be in union with God.
Teresa of Ávila famously wrote, “Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices.” In this program, we will look the meaning of giving ourselves fully and unreservedly to God by exploring what Teresa meant in these words from what is known as Saint Teresa’s Bookmark Prayer (“Let nothing disturb you”/ “Nada te turbe”). We’ll also explore her other writings and life experience which provide further context and insight into these words.
In walking with Teresa, our hope is to better appreciate our own desire to give ourselves fully and unreservedly to God in the concrete reality of our own lives. Our time together will include prayer, input, discussion, and quiet reflection.
Julie Vieira, IHM, MA, (she/her) is a writer, presenter, and thinker in spirituality with particular attentiveness to living the darkness and light — the poetry and rough prose — of everyday life. She holds a Master of Arts in Theology from St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto and is a member of the IHM Sisters of Monroe, Michigan. She serves as the director of the Margaret Brennan Institute and as a volunteer crisis counselor for LGBTQ+ youth. She also works as a consultant in the unfolding of religious life and of mission. Visit julievieira.org.
Program Brochure/Registration Form