We seldom hear this reading proclaimed in the church. It was chosen for today because Sr. Hue had chosen it to be read at her funeral Mass, 100 days ago.

Where has your beloved gone, O loveliest of women?

"O loveliest of women," what a wonderful way to speak of Sr. Hue. Truly it describes her. All of her being reflected the love of God and the joy that God experiences in those who seek God.

I remember when Sr. Hue first arrived at Holy Rosary Academy. I cannot imagine the depth of the challenges she faced and continued to face as she struggled to find her way in the midst of so much newness. She entered into a foreign culture, a foreign language, a foreign way of living religious life. There was nothing familiar for her to hold onto-except her relationship with God. She sought to find God in this new garden of life. The poem continues saying that we also are seeking God and so we want to go with you Hue to this garden that we too may find the Beloved, find God. Hue responded to that request by opening her heart and her arms to all those seeking God. What was said of Dominic I think can be safely be said of Hue:

Everybody was enfolded in the wide embrace of Sr. Hue’s charity, and since she loved everyone, everyone loved her.  She made it her own business to rejoice with those who were rejoicing and to weep with those who wept. She was full of affection and gave herself entirely to caring for her neighbors and to showing sympathy for the unfortunate.

Hue’s heart was open especially to the children. She loved them, laughed with them, and taught them of God’s enduring love for them.  Yes, Sr. Hue led us to God even while she was seeking God in this strange land. I don’t believe Sr. Hue ever stopped seeking God. No matter how much difficulty she had in her adjustment to life here particularly when she couldn’t understand us and we couldn’t understand her, Hue was faithful to her prayers and always managed to have a smile on her face and a cheerful disposition. Little did we know that her unexpected presence with us, the American Dominican Sisters, would be the beginning of a transformative experience for the American and the Vietnamese Sisters together. We struggled, we cried, we laughed, and grew together in living into the two cultures.

The Gospel asks us if we are ready to let go of all that we hold dear in our search for the kingdom of God. Most of us would say "Yes, of course." But the kingdom of God is right here! Can we open not only our eyes and ears to it but our hearts also. God, and God’s kingdom is right here in the refugees and immigrants of yesterday and today. As scripture puts it, we must widen our tents to include all peoples. Sr. Hue taught us how to do this. She accepted all people. Her heart and the heart of God were one.

Sr. Hue sold everything she had for the treasure hidden in the field. She had the courage that comes from trust in God to leave her family, her friends, her religious community, her very land and culture that she might continue to answer God’s call to spread the kingdom of God in a new land. This was not unlike Abraham, who in answer to God’s call, left everything and moved to a strange land. God was with Abraham And God was certainly with Hue.

We thank God for giving us Sr. Hue. And we thank you, Sr. Hue, O loveliest of women, for sharing your life with us.

Sister Patricia Hennessey, OP