Men's Rosary

We have a tendency, especially as a society, to make things harder on ourselves than they need to be. This primarily comes from an egocentric disposition to life and all that is around us. We want things our way. Anything else is simply a hindrance to our happiness. Or is it? I would put out for your consideration that it is not those things, but rather our predisposition and behavior that steals our happiness as a person and a society. We lack obedience, which is born out of humility. Our pridefulness and egocentricity make us disobedient and we suffer the consequences.  We are called to be obedient in all matters, provided they are not contrary to civil and moral law. We can disagree, but still we need to obey until such times as things are changed. When we ignore, disobey, because we disagree, we sow division, chaos, and unnecessary pain and suffering.

Growing up I remember asking for permission from my parents to do different things. Many times, it was granted – the asking was successful. Usually, the permission came with some parameters, rules if you will – this is where the listening came in. Sometimes I was ok with the rules, sometimes I did not like them – this is where the obedience came into play.  I could do as I liked or as I was permitted to do according to my parents’ direction.  I could obey or disobey.  Either way, I did what I wanted but one came with pain and suffering as a result.  Life was better when I obeyed.  This does not mean that I could not discuss things and change some parameters.  When I obeyed it was easier to get parameters changed for the next time.  This has been the case in work life, business life, parish life, etc.

Now I think about this as it relates to our spiritual life and relationship with God.  God should be part of all that we do. We need to be in partnership with him.  There are four steps to take in every aspect or decision in our lives and our relationship with him.  We need to ask, listen, answer, and act.

We ask through prayer. This is where we seek discernment, direction and even miraculous things in our lives and the lives of others.  We are assured that God will listen and answer. “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things which you have not known.” (Jeremiah 33:3) It is obvious that we do not have all of life’s answers and the answers of the world are always wrong. The place to find the answers and our path is with God alone. We must trust and believe in this and take our requests to him knowing that he will answer. “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matthew 21:22)

Listening is important.  Many times, prayer can be just a list of demands and concerns.  We need to take time to pause and let God speak.  It most often is not in the audible voice but in the movement of the heart or thoughts we receive.  To hear this, we need to make space for God in our prayer life. We also need to make the Scriptures part of our prayer. God speaks through the word of Scripture as well.  Quiet and stillness, openness and trust is where we will hear God speak to us. “He who gives heed to the word will prosper, and happy is he who trusts in the Lord.” (Proverbs 16:20)

When God speaks, we must answer.  It is here that we accept or reject him.  I would hope we would always answer in acceptance, much as our Blessed Mother did in her fiat. (Luke 1:38) and St. Joseph did in his fiat, taking Marry as his wife (Matthew 1:20-24) Both listened and answered yes, conforming their will to God’s will. They answered yes to following the plan and direction that God laid out for them. So too are we called to act in our spiritual life to be living a life based not on our decisions and plans, but on the plans that God has for us.

Then to act!  Actions do speak louder than words.  It is easy to say we believe, we want to obey God, we strive to live a good life of Faith. But do we?  We are either on the team or we are not.  We can not have it our way and God’s way.  It is one or the other. Our way usually does not end well, so the obvious solution to our troubles is to have it God’s way – to do what he tells us.  “But he said to them, “My mother and my brethren are those who hear the word of God and do it.”” (Luke 8:21) Again, our Blessed Mother and St. Joseph give perfect example. They both acted after hearing God’s word and accepting – saying yes.  Mary went in all haste to Elizabeth (Luke 1:39); Joseph acted immediately on hearing God’s instruction when he fled with the Holy Family to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-14) and returned to Nazareth (Matthew 2:19-21). We must be do-it-now people!  Let us beware of the tendency to excuse away what God tells us.  We need to purge ourselves of the “yes but” responses to God’s voice and will for our lives.

In the end, it will take courage to live according to God’s plan.  It will take courage to do what he directs us to do. It will take courage to fully participate in what comes to us through proper discernment. The things of God are not of this world so there will always be conflict.  We are to choose what side of the conflict to be on. Too often we ask God for help, for a plan, or for an answer, and when we get it, we shy away from it, because it makes us stretch out of our comfort zone.  We start questioning ourselves.  Can I do that?  Am I worthy of that? What will others think or say? What if it does not work out? We must have bold and courageous faith. We can and should be confident that what God reveals to us will be perfect, regardless of how it may seem at times.  He loves us as no other can and wants only the best for us.  We will never be abandoned.  This confidence leads to obedience, which is crucial to our salvation. “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that you may do the will of God and receive what is promised.” (Hebrews 10:35)

Life is about our salvation. Our salvation is dependent on our relationship with Christ and love of neighbor.  It is not about us. It is through prayer that we will find direction and clarity on right living. It is imperative to ask God for direction and clarity on his will for our lives and then to live according to it, live in obedience to him. It will be hard at times, scary at times, not make sense at times, but we must stay the course. Christ is our example of how to pray, listen, act and be obedient. It was not an easy road for him.  Why should we expect it to be easier for us? “And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:8)

“I will attempt day by day to break my will into pieces. I want to do God’s Holy Will, not my own!” (St. Gabriel Possenti)