Discerning God's Will in Everyday Life and Everyday Decisions

Discerning the Will of God in Everyday Life:  In today’s first reading, Malachi 3: 1-4, 23-24, the Lord God says to us: Lo, I will send you Elijah, the prophet, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and terrible day, to turn the hearts of the fathers[mothers]  to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers/[mothers].”

We know, from that passage, that the will of the Lord is that we live, work, play and pray with each other in ways that lead to union with one another and away from divisive behaviors and attitudes. If the choices I make on a daily basis create animosity, hostility and divisiveness, I then know, for the most part,  that my choices are not in tune with the will of God. Looking at Jesus, we know that His choices led to freeing people from that which caused a gap between themselves and others, between themselves and His and their Father God. He was an instrument of God the Father in bringing about harmony in the world. Sometimes, for Jesus,  harmony was preceded by suffering and death, His death on the cross, in fact. From sacrificing and the giving of His all, we are saved from eternal destruction. Every day, doing God’s will, may require that you and I sacrifice our convenience, our  wills, to the will of another in love, respect, understanding and forgiveness.  When those virtues are being practiced, we then know that our choices are in tune with God’s will. And many times, a dying to selfishness, pride, and dishonesty (especially with self) is required!