Once upon a time, I had a Franciscan companion, Sister Mary Peter. She was a Religious who filled my vocation journey with much laughter and joy. She was a significant presence as she walked with me on the faith journey. We visited many parishes in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Together we shared many happy memories over meals, coffee, and retreat projects.

Treasured in the secrets of my heart is the chapter we shared at Saint Anne of the Sunset. This is a parish in the heart of the Inner Sunset District in San Francisco. Its prominence made it hard to miss as you rode the Muni through Judah Street. This basilica-sized parish had walls painted pink! I humorously told Sister Mary Peter about the pink walls. I said that one day, I would record our fond memories of this beautiful place as part of my memoir. I plan to entitle it Heaven is Pink. This memoir would describe how our friendship gave us a glimpse of heaven. We shared wonderful moments within the walls of Saint Anne of Sunset.

This publication is far from fruition. As I approach my 41st birthday, I decided to begin. I wanted to at least jot down a few memories.

My earliest memory of Sister Mary Peter was a summer day in the parish rectory. I stayed downstairs in the Jack and Jill room, shutting my eyes for a midday nap. I was roused out of bed as I heard the fire alarm go off. I ran out of the room. I saw a veiled nun in her brown Franciscan habit on a step ladder. She was trying to blow the smoke away from the fire sensor! I met someone who would mark my life with spiritual love.

Sister Mary Peter and I participated in the annual novena for Good Saint Anne, organized and staffed by the Redemptorists. During this novena, it was customary to pray for the invocation of the Holy Spirit. This took place on the preacher after the Gospel and before the homily. With hands extended toward the ordained minister, the assembly sang. It was a tender song invoking the presence of the Holy Spirit as the Word was broken open for us. Here is the song we sang as our prayer:

I think of this song on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. This Sunday was marked by the Holy Father as the Sunday of the Word of God. This day is dedicated to the “celebration, study, and dissemination of the Word of God … for we urgently need to grow in our knowledge and love of the Scriptures and of the risen Lord, who continues to speak his word and to break bread in the community of believers” (Aperuit illis 3, 8).

I have shared thoughts on the importance of the Liturgy of the Word here. Let me offer another nugget to consider.

God gives us bishops, priests, and deacons to serve the Church. Through the ordained ministry, we hear the Word broken open to us. The Holy Spirit fills us with love and peace and draws our hearts close to the Father and Son.

The God who sustains the cosmos speaks to us! He engages our human senses so we can freely respond to Him in love. He gives us His Word. Let us devour this Word, for it gives us life. The meeting with God is always communal. We meet God through holy friendships, like the one Sister and I share. We also meet Him through the assembly that gathers to celebrate Eucharist.

Let us listen with ears of the heart.