Discernment: Finding God's will through our mistakes

We learn a lot about discernment from today's Scriptures (Jonah 3: 1-10 and Lk 10: 38-42).  Many times, clarity about what God wants of us happens after we have gone astray or grown lukeward, have chosen an opposing path or simply have pursued our own will, as did Jonah fleeing from going to Nineveh (Jonah 1: 1-3), St. Francis pursuing military might and the glory of knighthood (Saint Francis of Assisi: the Saint, p. 185), and Mother Frances growing lukeward in the exercise of ascetical practices (Walk in Love, p. 21).  God intervenes at the right time, calling us to take a second look, to repent and bring our wills into harmony with His will.  In the Gospel we learn the importance of sitting at Jesus' feet, listening to and seeking His instructions, and the need to both act and pray.