A (3:34)

Well, confirmation, this is something that I learned when I was actually in the novitiate. So it was kind of eye opening for me. But now Mother Amara Veritas described it to us as a sacrament of vocation. So it gives you a deeper insight into what God. The way in which God might be calling you to give the self gift of your life, whether it's marriage or priesthood or religious life, and then also gives you the strength for that self gift. And so the way that, that connects into sort of a rite of passage or whatever, some of the misconceptions about confirmation, I think it, the way that it connects in is that that's how we become that living building block in the church is through that self gift. And that's how we become sort of an adult member of this body who's taking up the cross and giving the gift. And so it's a sacrament that gives you the understanding and the strength to do that.

B (4:31)

So you received the sacrament as a baby?

A (4:33)

Yes.

B (4:34)

And did you, did you feel close to God as a child?

A (4:39)

I did. It's interesting. I felt I was close to God as a child. I was not. I was not necessarily a very good child.

B (4:47)

Were you troublemaker?

A (4:49)

I felt close to God. Those aren't necessarily contradictory.

B (4:55)

We gotta talk more about that.

A (4:58)

I felt close to God and then unfortunately, I was at a school where I was surrounded with. By people who didn't believe in God and didn't have God as part of their life. So I, I actually rejected God. And, and didn't. I made the choice that I didn't want him to be part of my life from starting in fourth grade. So that, and that. I look back on that and that's, you know, terrifying to me that I, that I ch. I chose that full consent of the will. I remember the moment.

B (5:29)

Wow.

A (5:30)

But I can, I can look back. God's mercy is so. So abundant. So I came back.

B (5:38)

How did God bring you back? How did he show himself to you?

A (5:42)

I think it was the intercession of Mary. So we were. We were on a family trip. We were in France. We were at Lourdes, the shrine.

B (5:51)

Okay.

A (5:51)

And I was there in, in the church. And I just experienced God as love. And I realized that when I had rejected him, I had rejected love. And I realized that that wasn't what I wanted to do. And that I wanted to love. And so it was just a huge conversion and turning. And I look back on it, and I think a lot of people will say that at Lourdes, everyone experiences some kind of healing.

B (6:27)

And.

A (6:27)

And for me, that was for sure. I mean, our lady brought me back. I don't know what. I mean, the possibilities are endless of the bad roads down which I could have turned.

B (6:38)

Right. How. And how old were you at that time?

A (6:40)

I was in eighth grade.

B (6:41)

Okay, you were in eighth grade. So after that, did you start to put more attention to prayer life and spending time with our Lord? And were you. Were you starting to think about religious life at that time?

A (6:56)

That. That was also about the time that I met our sisters for the first time. And so, I mean, God had it all timed because I didn't know how to give one the gift of one's life to God. I didn't know, you know, oh, you join. You can join a religious community and you make vows and your whole life becomes an act of worship. You know, I didn't know that, but I. I could see and I experienced in meeting our sisters that they had given the gift that I wanted to give. So I knew that it lay in religious life somehow.

B (7:26)

Okay. And.

A (7:27)

And so even as I was coming back to the practice of the faith, I. I also was kind of picking up that strand.

B (7:35)

Okay.

A (7:36)

Of kind of looking at religious life and starting to say, you know, I think this is what I'm supposed to do with my life and that it fulfills my heart.

B (7:49)

So. But, Sister, you, after high school, got into Harvard, right?

A (7:56)

Yes.

B (7:57)

Which is amazing. And I think God has given you beautiful gifts in. In being able to do the intellectual type of academic work that. That it would require to get there. So when you were going in that direction, you would have had to work really hard to get into Harvard. Were you thinking of a career in mind when you. When you went?

A (8:21)

I wanted to be a college professor. I wanted to do research. I wanted to teach on a college level. And. And I think, to me, I didn't really. I still didn't understand vocation. So I didn't realize that that vocation comes before career, that that one's vocation, choice of vocation is more foundational.

B (8:40)

Right.

A (8:40)

Than one choice of career.

B (8:41)

Right.

A (8:42)

So I kind of. I had in mind, oh, well, I know that I'm called to become a religious sister, but I also want to do all of these other things, so I'll do all of the other things first and then.

B (8:52)

And then become a sister, right?

A (8:53)

Yeah. Yes, yes.

B (8:56)

Well, God can use anything. Right. You had an open, open heart to our Lord. So you get to Harvard and you're studying Latin and English, and you were also able to connect with Catholic community there of. Of just other college students who were on fire for Christ and practicing their faith. What did your prayer life look like? Like, at that time while you were studying?

A (9:20)

I tried to pray Office of Readings every day, and I just picked and chose. So it's not, you know, I. So I ch. I liked Office of Readings, so I would pray Office of Readings, and then I would try to pray, do an hour of. Of other time in the church. So like maybe vespers, some half an hour of personal prayer, and maybe some spiritual reading, something like that.

B (9:46)

And this is in the midst of all your studies, academic studies, which must have been intense, I would imagine.

A (9:52)

Yeah.

B (9:53)

Did you have a particular moment where you really realized with certainty God is inviting me to the religious life?

A (10:00)

Yes. It was the, I think the first Holy communion anniversary of St. Jose Maria Escriva. And so for that reason, the residence where I lived, they were having adoration. And I didn't. I didn't realize that they were going to have adoration. Didn't know that it was his. A date that was significant. And so I came back from grocery shopping and I walked into the chapel and there was adoration. And so I knelt down and the priest was giving benediction. And I realized at that moment that. That. That Christ was inviting me to follow him. And I said, yes.

B (10:39)

Wow. And at that time, you were a junior. Yes, a junior. So you finished your degree. What were people's reactions when you entered the convent after that?

A (10:53)

I think they were a lot more supportive than I expected them to be. So there were many. I don't think people really understood it. I don't think my friends. I don't think my professors really understood it, but they were actually. They understood it. Many of them understood it more than I expected them to. And I had a professor who. He was one of the last ones that I told I was an English professor. And. And I told him, you know, that I had been surprised that people were. That my professors were supportive. And he said, well, I wouldn't be that surprised because we give our lives to. To the intangible, and so we understand more about that than. Than you think. Wow. And I don't think he was religious at all, but. And then I had one professor who's still a friend and still stays in touch and came to my final vows, and she was so Beautiful. She said she was. She would have supported me in my career. I think she was the one that I would have kind of relied on to open. Open doors and support me in a classics career. And so she. There was a lot riding for her. And. But she was the one. She said, you're going to do more with this choice than you maybe could have with a career in classics. And. And I realized as I thought about that, you know, that her faith was a lot deeper than mine was, actually. She is. She is Christian. And, you know, and that kind of put me to shame, you know, because even for me, I was thinking, you know, I'm giving up a lot. And that's what people tell you to, is you're giving up a lot. And for her, she could see that. She could. She understood that there could be a hundredfold return on that gift and that really, you give. You give the gift, and then God just, in overflowing measure makes that fruitful.

B (13:03)

And now you've been in the combat, you've been living the life, and it's so beautiful. I know we love our Dominican life. What, what aspect of our life. There probably could be so many things, but what do you love about religious life?

A (13:20)

I love it because it's where I'm meant to be, to become the person that he created me to be. And there's something so peaceful and beautiful about that. And I think it's the peace and the joy that any woman has who's loved and who's in the vocation that she's meant for, whether it's married with a family or in religious life. We each have a path to become a saint. And God willing, we choose what we were meant for and we give ourselves to it. And then. And just so I just get up every day and I know he's. He's molding me and he's changing me, even if I can't see it. And I can trust him. I can trust him to do that because I'm giving the gift.

B (14:13)

Sister. I. I love. I love watching you in action in. In the religious life, in your apostolate. I was able to visit your classroom recently, seeing you with the kids, seeing you do your academic work. I am interested in delving into a little bit about your PhD work, your area of study, which is to do with biblical inspiration.

A (14:41)

Yes.

B (14:42)

And I know you spend a lot of time thinking and praying about this topic. And so just to set it up for our listeners, we have God revealing himself to us, and somehow the words have to get on the page, we have sacred Scripture. So then the question becomes, how did those words get on that page? Did God dictate to somebody exactly what to write about his message, about the plan for salvation? Did he control their hand while they were writing it down? And these questions come to mind when we explore, like how. How was it that God revealed himself and how did those words get on the page? So in order to flesh out a bit, I wondered if you could actually start with the incorrect understandings of how that might have happened or the misconceptions about how that might have happened.

A (15:43)

Yeah. So dictation is one that's pretty common. And actually I'd love to take a little bit of time and research where it came from, because it was never part of the church's understanding ever, anywhere.

B (15:53)

Okay.

A (15:53)

So it's a sort of a straw man that people will knock it down. But it never really was a viable theory for what, how, you know, how Scripture got here. But it's okay. Dictation is one that God just dictated the words. There was also. There's also one that comes up again and again, but has been said by the church to be incorrect, which is that the author was working alone, just doing his thing. And then afterwards, because the church said, this is inspired, therefore it is, it

B (16:25)

becomes inspired at that point.

A (16:28)

So there's that. That's. That's not. That's false. But then there are other. There are other theories of inspiration that aren't false, but just they weren't satisfying to me personally. So there's one that's was put forward by some Jesuit theologians in the 1800s, 1900s, where. How do you divide up the responsibility for Scripture? You can give the responsibility for the ideas to God and the words to the human author. And people have raised problems with this psychologically because what does it mean that God gives you the ideas? You know?

B (17:08)

Right.

A (17:09)

Aren't the ideas also your own in some way? And then. And then how could it be that the words weren't.

B (17:14)

That.

A (17:14)

That God had no association with the words?

B (17:17)

Okay. Yeah.

A (17:18)

You know, so it seems like it would. It can't be a 50. 50. It has to be 100%, 100% always. And the church fathers spoke of it that way, 100, 100. Like the incarnation. So the Incarnation is a great analogy

B (17:31)

for Scripture because it's fully so in the way. Like, you don't think Jesus. We wouldn't say Jesus is half human and half divine.

A (17:39)

Yes.

B (17:40)

Fully God and fully man.

A (17:41)

Yes.

B (17:42)

Okay.

A (17:43)

So Scripture is fully divine and fully human.

B (17:46)

Okay.

A (17:46)

And Dei Verbum, the document from the Second Vatican Council, affirms that. But then the question is how to. How to answer that. Now also, Carl Rahner, more recently, he. He had somewhat of a different theory where basically inspiration simply means that the church as a corporate body is inspired. So any text produced by the Church are that thereby inspired.

B (18:15)

Okay, okay.

A (18:17)

But there, There are some loose ends with that theory, too. And I think one of the. One of the ones that needles me the most is just that the Church has always understood inspiration to be a personal gift to individual human beings.

B (18:30)

Okay.

A (18:31)

And I think that there's something powerful in that, and I think that we have to wrestle with. With what it means that individuals are inspired.

B (18:40)

That when you say the Church has always understood this, do you mean the Fathers of the Church is that when you collectively say the Church, so have you. You've spent time with some of the Fathers of the Church looking at their thoughts on biblical inspiration.

A (18:57)

Yes. Augustine mainly, and then flipping forward, way forward, to Aquinas.

B (19:02)

Oh, right. Okay. So help us to have a. A very balanced perspective on biblical inspiration.

A (19:10)

Well, I think one thing to say is that whenever you're doing research in theology, you're never trying to do something new. It's not like science, okay. Where you're trying to find something new or you're trying to get the breakthrough. With theology, you're always trying to unpack the wisdom that's always been there.

B (19:26)

Okay.

A (19:26)

So you're not trying to do something new. So anything that I discovered, so to speak, is not a discovery. It's simply. Maybe it's a discovery for me personally.

B (19:36)

Right.

A (19:36)

But it's just an unpacking of what has always been part of the tradition.

B (19:40)

Okay.

A (19:41)

And so with that caveat, I think what I. What I realized or what I learned or found is that inspiration, at least according to Aquinas. So I was guided by him and

B (19:51)

my good Dominican saint.

A (19:52)

Yes.

B (19:53)

Way to go, Sister.

A (19:54)

Yes. I thought he was a good place to start so people can take the discussion from there. But at least to understand how he thought about inspiration, it's a puzzle because he didn't write specifically on that question.

B (20:07)

He didn't write explicitly on it, but you see it coming out in other ways in his work.

A (20:14)

Yes. So he says, he says two things, that inspiration is a charism. So it's a specific gift given to individuals for the sake of the chur.

B (20:22)

Okay.

A (20:23)

And not for their own sake. And then, and then also that it has to be an example of instrumental causality where a human being is raised Elevated to a level that they wouldn't be able to achieve naturally so that they can do something beautiful.

B (20:39)

So is it that God is. Is inspiring them in a way, yes.

A (20:44)

To.

B (20:44)

To. It ennobles them. I think, of her, to use that word, and some people might have a sort of a negative connotation of the idea of instrumental causality. Why is that?

A (21:00)

Well, I think it's just the word instrument we think of. We think of instruments, unfortunately, I think some of it's cultural. In our modern world, we think of instruments as something lower, where instruments actually have a great nobility of their own. But beyond that, we. Instrumental causality, in the sense that Aquinas understands it, is not using an inanimate object necessarily. So a human being who is an instrumental cause isn't stripped of his or her humanity at all. Instrumental causality elevates everything that the instrument, quote, unquote, is. So every part of the human person, the will, the intellect, the emotions, will be elevated and enabled to do something supernatural. So it's. It's. It's adding. It's enhancing the dignity of the instrument. It's not depriving the instrument of dignity.

B (21:54)

How do we see the individualness of the authors coming through?

A (21:59)

Well, I think that's where historical critical method can be really, really helpful. So where we have literary scholars, historical scholars, who are pointing out the beautiful literary and historical aspects of these texts, and where you can see the brilliance of these authors and editors, the way that they've weaved together a narrative, the way that they write, the vocabulary that they use, all of those things. You can see the individuality coming out. Obviously, there's so much research done on the individuality of each gospel writer and how their own experiences, Matthew as a text collector and Luke as a doctor, come through their gospels.

B (22:43)

Sister. Okay, I. I could be wrong about this, but do. Do you. Or can you read the scriptures in the original Hebrew and Greek? Greek.

A (22:57)

I can read the New Testament in Greek, and I have enough Hebrew to. To look at a Hebrew text.

B (23:04)

Okay.

A (23:04)

Yeah. I cannot read the Hebrew text fluently yet.

B (23:09)

So what do you. Do you spend time reflecting on scripture in Greek. Do you read the Greek?

A (23:16)

Yes.

B (23:17)

So can you, like, sell me on that? Like, I don't know Greek. You know, if you were gonna tell me, oh, this is why it's so beneficial to. To know the language, the original language, and to be able to meditate on scripture in its language. Like, what would be your pep talk?

A (23:36)

I mean, it's just am to read it in the original, no translation. Every translation, they always point out that in the French, the French word for translate is also the word to betray.

B (23:49)

Oh.

A (23:50)

And so a translate translation is in some. To some extent, a betrayal of a text.

B (23:54)

Wow.

A (23:55)

And so if you think of how much more faith or much more beautiful the new prayers of the Mass are of the 2010 translation.

B (24:04)

Right.

A (24:05)

That's the difference almost in reading a translation of the Scriptures versus reading the original language.

B (24:12)

It's just.

A (24:13)

It's a completely different experience.

B (24:15)

Oh, okay.

A (24:16)

And there's also. There's so much that you can learn by comparing the English and the. And the Greek. So you read the Greek and then you look at how it's translated, and you. You realize, oh, this word is so much more. It's so much deeper. There are so many examples, none really come to mind right now, of ways in which my own prayer has been really propelled and deepened by reading in the original language. But when you. When you. There's. There's just a much greater richness in terms of thinking about, like, Christ's emotional life or what. What he's doing, the choices he's making, they're. They're so much more vivid in the original language. There's one example that's really random, but I remember recognizing it as a postulant and then now coming back to it again. But the word where Jesus spent the night in prayer, it's just one verb. So it's like overnighting it.

B (25:19)

Okay.

A (25:20)

He overnighted it. You know, and it's. There's something richer about the fact that in the Greek, you can have one verb for that action, to spend the night in prayer. It's just one verb. Okay, then he's not. You know, he's not spending the night. He's. He's doing. He's doing this. This. He's praying.

B (25:42)

He's doing this prayer thing.

A (25:43)

Yes. Through the night. That's his night is prayer in a sense of, like, what the sense of the original is.

B (25:50)

Okay.

A (25:51)

And so even that there's. The English is so much more clumsy. And it doesn't.

B (25:58)

Yeah.

A (25:58)

It doesn't convey the richness or. I was meditating on the O antiphon for today. In the Latin, it's that Christ is the expectatio of the nations, which is different from being their hope or their. It's just. It's something. It's something that's promise that's coming that you're so eager for.

B (26:20)

Like, there's a. There's a energy and a joyfulness behind that.

A (26:24)

Yes. And a light, a. A Life behind that word, it's the same like when you're awaiting a baby, you know, when the baby is growing, it's that same. So there's an aliveness to it.

B (26:36)

Anticipation. Yes, Good example, Sister, thank you so much. Why, let's say, if someone's listening and they maybe don't spend a lot of time with Scripture, Why, why ought they to. Why, why ought people dive into scripture, make time for it? What, what could it do for them in their spiritual life?

A (27:03)

Scripture is alive. Scripture itself says that, that Scripture is alive. Scripture is a living text and it's, it's breathed by the Holy Spirit. And so it's unlike any other text. And it was created by God for that person, specifically for that human soul to speak to that human soul and give that soul what's needed for the moment, for whatever they're going through. So it's, it's, it's more like what you're missing out on by neglecting it. Because that's God. God gives us. I mean, he just showers us with gifts, you know, that we tend to ignore. Eucharist is one. But I mean, this self revelation of God in the Scripture, in this living text that he is, is this gift to you. You know, and one of the fruits of my research into inspiration was realizing that every single person who lived thousands of years ago who was writing the scriptures, God had you in mind when he was working with that person. So he was working with Moses, teaching Moses, showing, elevating Moses's mind to understand these truths and then to write them down. And Moses and those working with him are writing these things down for you because Moses didn't have you in mind, but God did. And so this is a personal, this is a personal word for you from God. And so yes, it can change your spiritual life. First of all, the Scripture is purifying. It purifies our minds by reading it and immersing it, ourselves in it. But then also because it's, it's a gift that God has given you.

B (28:48)

It's amazing too how you could, you could read a passage that maybe at another time in your life, maybe really impacted you or like pierce you in a way or, or changed you and be reading it and be like, it's not hitting me the same way anymore. And on the flip side, you're reading a passage that you've read so many times and all of a sudden it's like, wow. And you realize something about God's love for you or his goodness, some truth about the spiritual life or about Living for God and, and you're changed by it. And it's amazing how it's alive in that way. It's. Yeah, it, it'll. It'll impact us in different ways at different times in our life. And I, a little bit. I get mad at myself when. I don't know if you do this, sister, maybe you don't struggle with this, but sometimes I do is I like to prepare for mass by reading over the scripture, the gospel. Sometimes I'm like, oh, it's, it's like that old one again.

A (30:00)

I already know. Yes, yes.

B (30:04)

Do you ever feel that way?

A (30:05)

Yes.

B (30:08)

I wonder, like what, you know, what to, what to do there when you feel that way.

A (30:14)

You should learn Greek.

B (30:19)

You got me.

A (30:20)

That's not gonna, you can't do that overnight. You're like, ah, same Gospel passage. I'm just going to learn some Greek tonight. No, but the long term, that is helpful. Actually. That's something that I do when I, when I kind of feel like, oh, this is a passage I already know. I know. I know that reading it in the original will defamiliarize it for me.

B (30:40)

Oh, okay. Yeah, I can see how that could bring. Bring it into a new light and bring out different aspects of it.

A (30:49)

Trying to think other strategies. I mean, having a good commentary on it can be helpful.

B (30:55)

Oh yeah, that's a good tip.

A (30:56)

Trying to find if there's any one word or any one phrase that stands out to you at all. Obviously, if it's a, if it's a scriptural passage where you can imagine the scene, that can be helpful too.

B (31:07)

Yeah. Some people are very visual. So just putting yourself in the scene, imagining yourself as one of the characters in the scene can give you a new perspective on it.

A (31:19)

Sometimes I just switch to the Old Testament reading.

B (31:21)

Oh, you do?

A (31:24)

Awesome Old gospel. Let's see what the Old Testament has. I'm a big Old Testament fan.

B (31:32)

You are? Oh, sister. God bless you. I'm gonna be in your class. Do you have any. Just moving into final thoughts here. I just, I love how, how much time you spent thinking about. About scripture and now I wish I could read it in, in those languages and would love to be in your class. What would you like to say. To say to people who are listening right now. And it doesn't necessarily have to be about scripture, but just in terms of the spiritual life. Words of encouragement about. About God or who he is or tips.

A (32:20)

God is love. Yes. And. And I think the. I think John Paul II do not be afraid. Same all, all of our Recent pontiffs have said it also. Pope Leo, do not. Do not be afraid. Peace be with you. I think that's a key for the spiritual life. I think that first I also had to overcome is just fear. Fear that I'll lose something by giving thanks to God. And that's ridiculous. But also very understandable.

B (32:54)

Yeah.

A (32:54)

Both at the same time. And he, God is merciful, so he understands that even though it's like, oh, my gosh, I've created you. Why would you lose anything by giving yourself to me? But, yeah, just not be afraid. It's so many times in Scripture, do not be afraid. That's. God is always saying that to everybody. Moses.

B (33:15)

Isn't that one of the most repeated, I think phrases.

A (33:18)

It must be that are in there.

B (33:19)

How much our Lord wants us to have peace.

A (33:22)

Yes. Yes.

B (33:24)

And to rest in him and to trust in Him.

A (33:27)

So whatever it is, you know, if it's. I'm afraid. I'm afraid to be without my phone for five minutes to pray, or I'm afraid to. I'm afraid to take time to pray. I'm afraid I'm going to lose work time, or I'm afraid, or I'm afraid this is going to impact me somehow, my relationships, or I'm going to lose part of who I am, or just do not be afraid.

B (33:49)

Yeah. Great message, Sister. Are you ready for speed round?

A (33:55)

Sure.

B (33:57)

Alrighty, Sister. Here we go. All right. What is your favorite liturgical season and why?

A (34:05)

Ordinary Time. It's where God is working most of the time.

B (34:11)

Do you have a hobby?

A (34:12)

Cross stitch.

B (34:15)

What is your favorite game at the moment? I know these things can change over time.

A (34:20)

Dutch Blitz.

B (34:23)

What is a book, besides the Bible that has impacted your spiritual life, that you would recommend?

A (34:31)

One that's impacted my spiritual life tremendously is Eleanor Stumps Wandering in Darkness. Would I recommend it? Yes. It's a book about suffering in Scripture, so it might not be the time necessarily, but I would recommend it.

B (34:46)

Good. Titles of Our Lady. What is your favorite and why?

A (34:53)

I. I like Queen of Martyrs. That was the parish, one of the parishes I grew up in.

B (35:00)

What age group. Age group do you most enjoy teaching and why?

A (35:04)

This is a hard one. I'm going to cop out and say I like all of the ones that I've taught for different reasons.

B (35:09)

And you have taught all of them?

A (35:10)

I've taught. I haven't taught juniors.

B (35:12)

But you taught college level, too?

A (35:15)

Yeah.

B (35:16)

If you could have dinner with any saint, who would it be and what would you ask them?

A (35:22)

St. Dominic, how can I be a better Dominican

B (35:27)

name, an activity that brings you peace and refreshes your spirit. Prayer Sister, thank you so much for coming and sharing your insights.

A (35:39)

Thank you.

B (35:40)

I feel that I would love to have you come back and we could continue to talk about more topics. And I have been inspired by you on so many occasions. So thank you for being willing to come and share with our audience today. And we want to thank you for joining us. We would encourage you please pass along this podcast if there's anyone that comes to your mind that might benefit from hearing of our conversation on Scripture today. Perhaps you have a family member or friend who would enjoy listening. We want you to know that we're praying for you. We keep you in our prayers. May God bless you and your loved ones, and we hope you have a wonderful day. Sam.