Do His Will

Scripture/Bible:  "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' 23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.' 24 "Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; 25 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; 27 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it." 28 And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, 29 for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. Matt 7:21-29

Reflection:  “I rejoice at thy word like one who finds great spoil.”  Ps 119:162

To know another person’s will one has to know what is in the mind of the other. In order to know the mind of the other we could either read about them or ask that person.  In order to know from the person we could either go to him or invite him to come to us.

When it comes to God we often expect him to come to us and reveal to us his will. If he would do that then we would perhaps obey his will and even do what he asks of us.

But how often do we realize and know that there are certain basic facts concerning God’s will for us:

The primary fact about God’s revealed will is Jesus.  In other words Jesus is God’s revealed will for us. This means, when we approach God through Jesus his beloved Son, we become acceptable to God, and his primary will is accomplished in our lives.Believe in Jesus! 

But the greatest block to seek to know God’s will is pride.  Either our pride prevents us from seeking his will and the fear and anxiety thereof makes us afraid of rejections or loosing of friends, relationships, sinful habits and greed can affect our seeking of God’s will. 

Yet the good, acceptable and perfect will of God has to be made known to the world. (cfr. Rm. 12:2)  As Catholics we celebrate this will of God at every Eucharist and we fail him not through our thanksgiving and praise of him. 

Nor should we fail him in proclaiming this will of the Father to others, which is to lead others too to believe in the one whom he has sent. (cfr Jn. 6:29)

Prayer: “Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God! Let thy good spirit lead me on a level path! Ps 143:10

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Surrender

Scripture/Bible:  When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples across the Kidron valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas, procuring a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that was to befall him, came forward and said to them, "Whom do you seek?" 5 They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am he." Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When he said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." 8 Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he; so, if you seek me, let these men go." 9 This was to fulfil the word which he had spoken, "Of those whom thou gavest me I lost not one." 10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's slave and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus. 11 Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given me?" John 18:1-11

Reflection:  I have often seen fear gripping a mob or a locality on account of a murder or an untoward death.  However brave one may be it is still contagious and the brave in their cowardice state may even make plans on how to protect themselves.  In fact most of bravery is handling the many fears that can grip an individual.

Today for Jesus is a tragic moment when the drama has reached a stage further than the initial betrayal.  Judas has come with the soldiers to arrest Jesus and that too by night.  Jesus could have escaped this terrible moment, just like Jonah the prophet, since he had the foreknowledge of his imminent arrest and trial and the ill-treatment followed by the most tragic and violent death ever.

Yet he faced it with all courage. It required courage as he totally surrendered to the will of his Father. What does that mean?

It means, though he had all the power to prevent his suffering, humiliation and rejection at the hands of evil men yet he did not assert his will but was willing to go by his Fathers will to be the sacrificial lamb for the salvation of the world.

This is seen in the drama of the arrest when the soldiers come to arrest Jesus and Judas is there with them yet they are not able to recognize Jesus. Was Jesus still resisting his arrest? In all probability it seems he was doing that.  It is like the struggle between willingness and resistance surfacing to the fore. This I see further affirmed by the throwing back to the ground of the soldiers when Jesus is offering himself to them. 

Then when he has totally surrendered to the Father, after the assault of Peter, that they are able to recognize and arrest him.  This total and ultimate surrender is well expressed in those words; "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup which the Father has given me?"

We often pray his prayer addressed to the Father but how often do we really mean what he has taught us: Thy will be done on earth as in heaven.  May this Good Friday really be a good Friday for us all our lives by seeking to surrender to the will of the Father.

Prayer:  Thy will be done, as it was with Jesus you beloved Son so may it be with me.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Thy Will be Done!

Today’s Gospel: And a leper came to him beseeching him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean." 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, "I will; be clean." 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 And he sternly charged him, and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, "See that you say nothing to any one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to the people." 45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter. Mark 1:40-45

Reflection: "If you will, you can make me clean." This could have been like this; “if you will you can tell me where I can be cleansed” or “I do not know whether you are the right one or whether I should look for another.  His will was important for him for his healing.

There must have been many lepers in Israel and here is one who receives his healing according to his will.

How strange; He was willing to go by the will of the Lord for his healing but was not willing to observe the stern charge that he should “say nothing to anyone and instead show himself to the priest and make offering for his healing according to the Law of Moses.” 

One action of Jesus was a tender loving outreach to the man in need but the other was a stern message to the man whose need was fulfilled and now needed to walk in the truth of God’s law, unto eternity.   To have an experience of God’s love and power is easy but to live that experience in humble submission to his will is difficult.

We could likewise demand from God our healing and well being, wealth, health and good life, kneeling and beseeching and even receive many countless blessings and graces from the God of all love and yet when it comes to observing his simple instructions we could fail to be obedient to his will.

Prayer: Lord, you have touched my heart on several occasions but have I Lord in gratitude lived by your will? Thy will be done, in my life!  

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Rejoice in his desire

Today’s Scripture: And he went up on the mountain, and called to him those whom he desired; and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons: 16 Simon whom he surnamed Peter; 17 James the son of Zeb'edee and John the brother of James, whom he surnamed Bo-aner'ges, that is, sons of thunder; 18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Mark 3:13-19

Reflection: In a close knit family, children often find that they are discriminated against by their parents; it is a choice of one above the other. This same problem exists in our society or community too; one individual gains precedence or extra attention over the other. This often leaves the one’s who have not received feel a sense of rejection and neglect. 

Our mind and our desire can create great upheaval in our surroundings, i.e. families and communities and nations, over such discrimination's.

How can God call those whom he desired? Isn’t he being unjust?  

Some may try and explain this away by rationalizing the faith and claiming that God does not discriminate and end with a full stop. But the message is this: God does not discriminate but we who read God through our vision will always feel discriminated against because we see things inadequately.

When Jesus desires, he doesn’t desire as we desire with all our limitations and inadequacies and thus end up discriminating but with complete knowledge of the human heart which he searches and according to the will of his Father. Thus God’s desire is based on right judgment unlike human judgment,

Prayer:  Lord, May I honour and respect your will in my life by first seeking to recognize it.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Thy will be done

Scripture: As they were going along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." 58 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head." Luke 9:57-58

Reflection: What a whole hearted expression and perhaps the only case in the Gospels of one who on his own has volunteered to follow the Lord and master. 

Did it please the Master? No, it did not.

Lesson to learn: We prefer the securities of human friendship, health, spiritual and material benefit. No wonder there is such a huge following for the prosperity Gospel that is proclaimed all over the world and which is a scandal of our generation. 

No one wants the insecurities that come like a package deal for following the Gospel.  I want to follow Christ because he will fulfill my wants, my wants which are my need. I do not want to just follow him. It's a narrow and lonely path.

 What I fail to realize is this; my actual need is primarily what the Lord has to give.  “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" Matt 4:4

Prayer:  Lord, I want to follow as you desire of me.  Thy will be done in my life.