1 What do the chapter titles refer to? names of random saints historical figures from the Discalced Order of the Carmelites. Feast Days people in the Bible 2 What is Sister John's birth name? Helen Miriam Mary Joseph Teresa 3 Who is John of the Cross? John the Baptist, one of Jesus' disciples the person who made Jesus' cross founder of the Discalced Order of the Carmelites famous for writing a poem called "The Dark Night of the Soul." the priest who gives the sacraments to the nuns 4 What is the reason for Sister John's visions? poison epileptic seizures drug overdoses snakebite 5 What is the name of Sister John's doctor? Dr. Sheppard Father Aaron Patricia Mr. Yoshinobu 6 Who is the famous novelist who had the same kind of epilepsy Sister John does? Dostoevsky Dickens Faulkner Tolstoy 7 Why does Sister John's mother come see her in the monastery? to ask Sister John to leave the monastery to apologize for how she treated Sister John to tell her about her half-siblings to sever ties with Sister John 8 When does Helen first start realizing she wants to become a nun? after Christmas Mass, when she talks to Sister Priscilla when she was watching the moon landings when Sister Priscilla made her run the lap around the school a second time when her grandmother died 9 Why does Sister John ultimately decide to go through with the surgery? because she doesn't want the visions anymore because she is afraid of death because the pain is too severe because she does not want to be a burden to her sisters 10 Why does Sister Miriam's father want her to leave the monastery? because he wants her to get married because he is controlling because he thinks she is seeking attention because he thinks it's a cult 11 Why is the diagnosis of epilepsy so severe for contemplatives? because it prohibits them from fulfilling their duties because you can't cure it because epilepsy can cause seizures that seem like visions from God because epilepsy is a curse 12 Why does Sister John keep vigil? to pray all night with her sisters to decide whether or not to do the surgery to see if she can have another vision to see if God will speak to her 13 What is Sister John's book based on? different saints life in the monastery Her visions St. Teresa 14 What do the proceeds from Sister John's book go toward? a selection of juices a new roof for the monastery supporting her grandmother a trip to Italy 15 How does Father Aaron advise Sister John? Don't do the surgery. These visions are a gift from God and to get rid of them would be scorning God's plan for your life and for how he wants to use you. You are probably closer to grace now than ever before because you are learning that loving God is about following Him, not the benefits you get out of it. Do the surgery. Your job is to be faithful at all times even if you feel like he is far away. Seek alternative methods. Make surgery your last option. 16 Why does Mother Emmanuel want Sister John to be Claire Bours' novice mistress? because Sister John has a Master of Fine Arts like Claire does because Sister John knows what it's like to try to do God's will even when she doesn't know what it is because Sister John and Claire are related because Sister John has not been anybody's novice mistress yet 17 On what Feast Day does Sister John first come to the monastery? Holy Thursday Beheading of John the Baptist, Martyr Our Lady of Mount Carmel Triumph of the Cross 18 Who is Sister Teresa? the prioress of the monastery the saint that Sister John was asked by the Vatican to write a poem on and present in person Sister John's aunt Sister John's novice mistress 19 How does Helen's mother end all her letters? Tell your grandparents hello for me! Come visit me! Write soon! I love you! 20 What does Sister John see in her last vision? a hand trying to grasp itself her mind becoming like broken glass an ember carried upward by the heat of an invisible flame the voices of the saints and contemplatives as a tapestry through time and space 21 What is the Miserere? depression a solemn piece of music composed by Mozart an ancient psalm of repentance that the sisters recite weekly, accompanied by flagellation an illness 22 Where and when is Lying Awake set? A monastery in Rome, 1995 A monastery in the heart of Carmel, 1969 A monastery in the heart of Los Angeles, 1997 The Vatican in Italy, 1984 23 What does Helen daydream about doing for the chickens entrapped in the farm? Cutting their nails, because they kept scratching her Eating them. Helen's favorite food is fried chicken. Giving them names. Setting them free. Later they will worship her as a goddess. 24 What realization does Sister John have that breaks her out of her period of drought? that faith is the evidence of things hoped for, of things not yet seen. that her community provides all the grace she needs. God is present everywhere. Therefore he can never and has never been absent. that God will never stop loving her, even when she doesn't feel it. 25 Who shares Sister John's recovery room at the hospital? Mother Emmanuel and Sister Mary Michael A teenage girl shot in the head Sister Teresa, whose body is shutting down Dr. Sheppard