Jose Hobday

Father John Dear writes about "The Simple Life Of Jose Hobday" for his weekly column in the online National Catholic Reporter.

He wrote:

"Sister José was one of the great spiritual teachers of our times. Born in Texas to a Seneca-Iroquois mother and a Southern Baptist father, José was both a Seneca elder and a Franciscan nun. She became a full time lecturer and for decades gave workshops across the country on prayer and spirituality."

The last time he spoke with her on the telephone (before she died on April 5, 2009), she told him this:

“I’ve been thinking of you,” she said, “and I have something for you to do. About twenty times a day, I want you to stop what you’re doing, and empty yourself completely. Let go of everything inside you that is not of God, that is not the Holy Spirit, that is not loving and peaceful. Then, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you from head to toe. Do that twenty times a day and you will be filled with peace and joy. Gotta go.”

Think of what would happen to each of us if we followed her advice and "let go of everything inside you that is not of God, that is not the Holy Spirit, that is not loving and peaceful" 20 times each day! What would happen in our family, our community, our nation, our world??

Jose Hobday was an amazing woman, and I've only just learned about her! There's much to learn, which starts with reading John Dear's column about her.