Nuns are amazing.

And someday when the shock wears off that I am a nun (or more accurately a religious sister), I will start talking about nuns as if I am one.

In the meantime, since nuns have such acute insight into the world around us and what is actually important (at least the ones I know), I thought I would ask them to share with us all about the meaning of life.

And I asked them to answer in 1-3 sentences.

Yes, I know that is ridiculous. (And most went over.) But I knew that I would get some amazing zingers back and that they would be helpful both to me and to my readers. And they are pretty great.

Here are their answers (you’re welcome):

1. Sr. Lucie of the Trinity, OCD, Carmel of Dijon at Flavignerot, Dijon, France:

The meaning of life is:

To let myself be loved and to love:

To let myself be loved infinitely by God and to love God

To let myself be loved by my sisters and to love each of my sisters

And through each one, the whole world.

(This prayer is based on the spirituality of soon-to-be-canonized Elizabeth of the Trinity and Saint Teresa of Avila. In the last line of the prayer I say that through my sisters I love the world. I say this because I’m cloistered. But if I love the sister next to me, in the Lord, I can reach out to love the whole world.)

2. Sr. Therese Maria Touma, MSCL, Maronite Servants of Christ the Light, Dartmouth, MA:

A prayer to live the meaning of life:

Help me to serve and seek what is Good, True and Beautiful, and “hunger and thirst” for you, the Hidden One, the Radiant One.

Help me to remain undivided in loving and following you, my sweet Jesus, despite what “persecutions” may come….

You are my life

You are my all

My eternal home is with you!

To read the rest of this beautiful prayer, please visit this link.

3. Sr. Helena Raphael Burns, FSP, Daughters of St. Paul, Toronto, Canada:

If you really wanna know the meaning of life (and not just make it up or give up on it), get down on your knees and ask God. Really “mean” it. That’s what I did. I prayed the agnostic’s prayer when I was young: ‘O God, if you exist, please answer me because I don’t know why I’m alive.’ God is faithful. He will answer. No doubt.

“You will seek Me and find Me

when you search for Me with your whole heart.”

-Jeremiah 29:13