"Behold, I Come to do Your Will"

In the first reading of today’s liturgy, Hebrews 10: 1-10, we  are reminded that “Sacrifice and offering [God]  did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you took no delight. Then I said, As is written of me in the scroll, Behold, I come to do you will, O God.”  Sacrifices and offerings are offered according to the law.  These sacrifices do not take sin away and God does not delight in them. God wants us to follow His will.  In today’s Gospel, Mark 3: 31-35, Jesus proclaims that those who do the will of the Father are mother, brother, and sister to Him.  We enter into an intimate relationship with the Trinity when we seek and do God’s will.  Grace flows abundantly into us and through us to others when we are in harmony with what God asks of us. It was through Jesus carrying out the will of the Father, being obedient unto death, that we have been saved, sanctified, and reconciled to our God.  External sacrifices and offerings do not have sanctifying or reconciling power. Obedience to God’s will does, as Jesus modeled for us.

Lord, may I have the strength to sacrifice my will to you through an obedience  that leads to my giving  loving, caring, compassionate service to others and recognizing you as my Sovereign God, my King and Master, my Bridegroom, the Shepherd of my soul, my God and my All!

Being a Stream in the Hand of the Lord

The first verse of today’s reading, Proverbs 22: 1-6, 10-13, reads: “Like a stream is the king’s heart in the hand of the Lord; wherever it pleases him, he directs it.”  Obedience! Surrender Trust! In today’s Gospel, Luke 8: 19-21, Jesus speaks of these virtues by saying:  “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” What a tribute to His Mother, who was obedience to the Word of God and acted upon it.  She allowed God to direct her life however it pleased Him to do so!  In every encounter with God, Mary pondered God’s messages and actions!

What about you and me? Does the Solomon’s wisdom apply to us? Are we like “a stream…in the hand of the Lord” in that “wherever it pleases” God, God directs us? Are you, am I even aware of God’s directions in our lives  each day? Do you, do  I take time at the end of the day to reflect upon ways in which you/I allowed or resisted the directions of the Holy Spirit throughout the day?  Would Jesus say of you/me: “My mother and my brothers [and sisters] are those who hear the word of God and act on it”?

Do what? You Gotta Be Kidding!

In today’s first reading, 1 Kings 17: 7-16, we learn that the place where Elijah was hiding dried up.   Elijah is directed to move on to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. "...a widow...[will] provide for you."   Elijah had the choice of following those directions or of  ignoring them.  “Oh, I will manage right here,” he might have argued.  “I will be fine,” might have been another way of resisting the voice within him telling him that it was time to move on. Furthermore, Elijah might have bulked on depending on a poor widow!

The Lord is always giving us directions throughout the day. These directions may seem so mundane

that we simply ignore them and choose otherwise only  to regret that we did not listen to the

suggestions rising within us. Or, what we are hearing may sound outright ludicrous. Our response: "No way; I will do it my way!" Or we might argue: “What will others think?” Or, “let me check this out with so-and-so first,” not trusting ourselves as having the wisdom from within the core of our being, where the Spirit resides, to be making a right choice.  This is not to say that consultation is not important, but how often do we not live to please others and not ourselves and not our God!

No one was around but Elijah, you say. He had to trust God. “No, he didn’t,” is my response. He had a choice, because God will not coerce us to follow the Spirit within us. He gave us a free will and will

always allow us that freedom.  God does not force us to follow His directions or to be His servant or handmaiden. He gives directions freely all of the time;  and, yes, all of the time, he respects our free will to say “yes” or to say “no.”

What will my choice/your choice be?