Discernment and Turbulent Waters

Discernment and Turbulent Waters:   In today’s Gospel, Matthew 14: 22-36, the disciples are out on the sea, buffeted by strong winds.  Jesus had stayed ashore to dismiss the crowd of about 5000 men plus all of the women and children that they had just fed.   “During the fourth watch of the night  [around 3:00 in the morning][Jesus] came toward them, walking on the sea.”  The disciples are terrified, thinking that they are seeing a ghost walking toward the boat.  Jesus, aware of their fright, says to them: “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”  Peter says to Him: “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” Jesus says: “Come.”  So Peter begins to walk on the turbulent water toward Jesus and as the winds whip around him, he becomes frightened, takes his eyes off Jesus and begins to sink.  “’Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him,” saying “O, you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

“If it is you, command me to come to you,”  Peter says to the Lord.  Peter gets out of the boat and begins to walk on the water. “Is he crazy,” we may ask!  “What’s he thinking? He is not capable of walking on water,”   we proclaim.  When you and I are contemplating something which we believe God is asking of us, like Peter, we may courageously step out into the turbulent waters because we believe that the Lord has called us, as He did Peter: “Come”  Jesus says to Peter when Peter says to Him: “If it is you, Lord, command me to come to you on the water.”  It’s like saying: “If it is you, Lord, calling me to remain single, to enter religious life, to study for the priesthood, to marry this woman/this man, bit me do so.”  “If it is you asking me to do such and such, bit me, Lord, to do it with courage and with faith.” Then the waves of criticism rise and we may get scared, begin to sink in our resolve. “Save me, Lord.” And immediately, Jesus reaches out His hand and walks with us to accomplish that of which, on our own, we are not capable!

Discernment: Stop and Listen

Discernment:  Today’s first reading, 1 Samuel 15: 16-23, is a continuation of what happened when Samuel went back to sleep and when hearing his name called a fourth time answered: “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” God had a message that He wanted Samuel to deliver to Saul.  To get Saul’s attention, he said to him the next morning: “Stop! Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.”

To discern God’s will, we need to “Stop!”  Plunging full steam ahead is one way to shut out God’s voice.  Telling ourselves, “I don’t have time right now” might be our way to walk away from the source of God’s enlightenment.  Rejecting a message because of the messenger is also one of the ways in which we may shield ourselves from truth, the Truth.  We may also assume that we have the answers, or all of the answers, and no one tells us what to do or what to consider. Those attitudes are a hindrance to hearing the voice of God. Humility is key. Praying for the courage and the strength to listen to others is a crucial part of discernment

The Origin of Your Vocation

In today’s first reading, Tobit 6: 10-11; 7: 1abcde, 9-17; 8: 4-9a, we are told the story of Tobiah’s marriage to Sarah, daughter of Raguel. Sarah was married seven times before and each of her husbands died the night of their marriage before having relations with Sarah.  For Tobiah to be given to Sarah in marriage was, to say the least, a great risk. Would harm come to him as well and would Sarah again be devastated by acute loss, shattered dreams, by the death of yet another husband.  Sarah’s mother, in preparing her daughter for this eighth marriage, says to her: “Be brave, my daughter. May the Lord grant you joy in place of your grief.  Courage, my daughter.”  Sarah’s father says to Tobiah: “Your marriage  to her has been decided in heaven!”

Every vocation is made in heaven!  Am I, are you, aware of that?  And, if so, who am I, are you, to flaunt God’s call? And the choice of any vocation involved courage. Risks are involved in whichever vocation one chooses.  God says to you in this passages: “Be brave….Courage.” Your vocation “has been decided in heaven!”

Discernment and "Troubles" Encountered

“In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world,”   Jesus says to us in today’s Gospel, John 16: 29-33. 

You might have encountered problems in your quest for God’s will in your life. “Is God calling me to marriage? But I cannot find the right partner,” you might be thinking.  “I feel called to the single lifestyle, but people will think I am a failure.” Or, you might be saying to yourself, “I feel called to religious life or to become a priest, but what will others think? My parents will discourage me and my grandparents will have a fit,” some of you might be thinking. Or, you might respond to the call to consecrate your life to the Lord as a religious or as a diocesan priest with: “But I am not “holy” enough. I’m not even a virgin.”  Or “I’m gay/lesbian; I can’t be called to religious life or to the priesthood.”  Think again. God calls all persons. The call to priesthood or religious life or to marriage or to the single life is not about holiness, not about self. It is about God’s plan for you, God’s faithfulness and yours to the call to enter a process that leads to holiness and wholeness for those who are called to that specific vocation in life.

How will you respond? What excuses do you make? What “troubles” to you encounter? Remember Jesus’ words: “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” Go to Jesus and share your troubles with Him. You might do this in writing. Then listen for His response and, possibly, record that in your journal as well. Keep talking to Jesus about these "troubles" until these excuses are dissipated and you find courage to move forward embracing the call that is right for you. 

Discernment: The Human Cycle of Dependence, Independence and Interdependence

 We begin life totally dependent upon others and then move toward developing independence, a necessary prerequisite to being interdependent. Interdependence is a sign of a healthy sense of self, high self-esteem and a level of maturity that speaks of wisdom, prudence, and courage.   This latter sense of well-being is achieved only by those who have learned to take responsibility for themselves first and know when they need help. Those who are interdependent have built their “houses on solid rock,” as Jesus tells us in the Scriptures.

Discernment, as adults, means 1) that we know when others are legitimately dependent upon us and that we have a responsibility toward them, 2) that we know when it is essential that we depend upon ourselves, our abilities, our talent, acknowledge our dependence upon God working through us and guiding us and, finally, 3) that we know when  and how to work interdependently, acknowledging that we need the help and guidance of others:  Knowing  when and where to seek counsel; knowing when and in what circumstances we are powerlessness; knowing the importance of being open to and having the wisdom to  seek feedback;  in short, having the courage and the wisdom to enter into dialogue and mutual discernment in order to do that to which God is calling us as People of God, as Church, as God’s Kingdom People here on earth, members of one flock, one Shepherd, united in love as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one.