To do your will...

"To do your will, O my God, is my delight..."

Psalm 40:9

 

And how do we discover God's will so we can do it? Just like discovering how our friend takes her coffee or what your other friend likes to read, we spend time with God to really learn God's will.  We can read God's Word, in which Jesus spells out exactly what God wants us to do (Matthew 25).  We can sit quietly with God and just listen for the still, small voice.  We can talk to God openly and honestly, just like an old friend.  God's will doesn't have to be mysterious and murky or like something out of a Cecil B. DeMille movie.  God's will can be as tender as sharing a hug with a friend or as daunting as moving the St. Vincent de Paul store to its new location!  As easy or hard as God's will seems in our lives, it is our delight to do it.  We share with God when we share with others.  We share with God when we support each other.  We share with God when we love each other.  That's not that mysterious but it may not be easy. Dear Friends, I'm headed off to the SCL Motherhouse early tomorrow morning to soak in some of that wonderful SCL charism!  Blessings on your weekend and as we head into Holy Week, I had one thought:  If you have the book, "Jesus: A Pilgrimage," by James Martin, SJ, and you just haven't cracked it yet, just begin this Holy Week by reading the three chapters of the Passion--Jerusalem, Gethsemane, and Golgotha.  I am planning to re-read them during Holy Week and I know reading them will give me a front row seat for this Holiest of weeks.  Love, heidi

Blessed are the meek?

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the land."

Matthew 5:5

 

We, here in Idaho Falls, had the first night of our parish mission last night on the Beatitudes.  Our presenter, Mary Sharon Moore, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, really got me thinking--especially when we discussed this one, the third Beatitude.  Blessed are the meek...

Who are the meek?  Why would meekness be considered to be a good trait?  Why would the meek be considered blessed? It was so rich to learn that the meek are those who are pliable and flexible to the will of God.  The meek are not the wishy-washy people who cower and hem and haw about stuff.  The meek are those who leave their own agenda and embrace the will of God. Just like Mary, who said, "May it be done to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38)  I will need to continue to pray with this for some time.  I tend to take such comfort in future plans, am I not being pliable enough? The plans I have in mind for the future get me through the day to day now...plans for retirement, doing something different from what I've done for these long many years.  But am I leaving enough room for God's plans?  This is amazing, Friends! Love, heidi

 

Who is without sin?

"Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin any more."

John 8:11

 

Most often, when this reading comes up, I think of it as Jesus' answer to the death penalty debate.  I still feel that, but I also caught a glimpse of something else today, perhaps worth mentioning. Earlier in this Gospel Jesus said, "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." (v. 7)  Pray-as-you-go asked the question "Who is without sin?"  And that brought to my mind the times I judge others harshly and unfairly.  I am certainly NOT without sin, so there should be no stones in my pockets at all! And yet, I finger them in my pockets every time I judge someone else. Today, these words of Jesus will be at the top of my mind.  "Neither do I condemn you..."  Lord, please help me to drop the stones out of my pockets. I have no right or reason to judge others harshly.  I, myself, have been forgiven and treated with mercy.  Please help me to do the same for everyone I meet today!  Love, heidi