Discernment: Come and See

Discernment:  In today’s Gospel, Jesus goes to Galilee and there finds Philip. Jesus says to Philip: “Follow me.”   Philip, in turn, finds Nathaniel and says to him: “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth. Nathaniel asks Philip: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip does not argue but says: “Come and see.”  Jesus sees Nathaniel coming “toward him and said of him, “Here is a true child of Israel. There I no duplicity in him.”  “How do you know me,” Nathaniel asks.  “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel,” Nathaniel responds.  “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this…Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of man.”

Just as Jesus found Philip, so, too, does He find you.  He says to you, as He said to Philip: “Follow me.”  What do you need to leave behind to be truly following the Lord? And once you have begun in earnest to live by faith and grow in your relationship with the Lord, whom, to you invite to do the same?   Do you, like Nathaniel,  when invited to meet Jesus, ”son of Joseph, from Nazareth,” ask:  “What good can come out of Nazareth?”    Furthermore, if invited to become a woman religious, a man religious, a priest, a deacon, do you  ask:  “What good is there in entering religious life, in studying to become a priest, a deacon?”  Come and see! Take that next step and pay attention to that small, persistent inner voice inviting you to consecrate your life solely to the Lord.

Perhaps you do not realize that you “will see greater things...” if you trust the Lord totally in His call to you, in His invitation to follow Him unreservedly as a woman/man religious, as a priest, as a deacon.  Remember that could be the same if God is calling you to sacramental marriage or to the single lifestyle.

Discernment: What we learn from King Herod!

Discernment:  Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Innocents, those little boys two years and younger who Herod slaughtered in hopes of killing Jesus. Herod was a jealous, ambitious man, narcissistically pursuing power and control at other people’s expense.  Deceptively, he asked the Magi, on their return from worshiping the new born King, to let him know where to find him so he, too, could worship him. That was not his intent. He wanted Jesus killed so that his position of power and prestige would not be in jeopardy.  He would do whatever he needed to do to remove the threat!

Herod lacked discernment skills and thus, I believe, was blinded to the evil that had possessed his character.  Without reflecting upon his life, without developing an honest relationship with God, without seeking truth and being truthful, without being upright, Herod is easy prey to Satan’s deceptive ways. Herod would not, without reliance upon God, avoid the  evil into which Satan would lure him. 

To ward off the kind of evil that prompts us to achieve selfish, ambitious ends at any cost, and to ignore God's will,  we need to “grow strong in the Lord, with the strength of His power.  Put on the full armor of God so as to be able to resist the devil’s tactics. For it is not against human enemies that we have to struggle,  but against the principalities and the ruling forces who are masters of the darkness in this world, the spirits of evil in the heavens” (Eph. 6:  10-12).   That is why,” St. Paul tell us, “you must take up all God’s armor, or you will not be able to put up any resistance on the evil day, or stand your ground even though you exert yourselves to the full”  (Eph 6: 13). 

How, you ask?  St. Paul counsels us as follows:“So stand your ground, with truth a belt round your waist, and uprightness a breastplate, wearing for shoes on your feet the eagerness to spread the gospel of peace, and always carrying the shield of faith so that you can use it to quench the burning arrows of the Evil One. And then you must take salvation as your helmet and the sword of the Spirit, that is, the word of God” (Ephesians 6: 10-17).

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: God Really Wants What of Me?

Responding to God’s Invitation to trust, to take risks, to act in faith can be very, very tough at times!  In today’s first reading, 1 Kings 17: 7-16, Elijah goes to Zarephath of Sidon and there is told that a widow would provide for him.  “As he arrived at the entrance of the city, a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her, ‘Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink…[and] a bit of bread.’  She answered: ‘As the Lord, your God, lives, I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my jug.” She is reluctant  because that is all she has. Her plan was to prepare a last meal  for herself and her son and then wait to die.  But Elijah insisted:   “…make me a little cake and bring it to me. Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son.  For the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the Lord sends rain upon the earth.’ She left and did as Elijah had said. She was able to eat for a year, and Elijah and her son as well; the jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the Lord had foretold through Elijah.”

Many times what God asks of us seems impossible.  The widow was challenged to give the last of what she had to live upon. She expected to have enough for one more meal and then, because of the drought, she and her son would starve to death. However, she gave all, trusting that the Lord, the God of Israel, would provide, as Elijah prophesied.

Discerning the Lord will is many times a challenge! “Give up everything to become a Sister, a priest, to enter marriage, to remain single?” we ask. “ Risk everything of what I cherish: my independence, leaving home, leaving my friends? No way,” we cry.  “What if it does not work out and I am left with nothing?” “What if I fail?” And on and on we go digging up excuses to not trust, to not believe, to not surrender!  Miracles then evade us!

Discernment: Faith, Trust, Humility

In today’s first reading, Daniel 3: 14-20, 91-92, 95, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego stand firm in their faith. They do not succumb to King Nebuchadnezzar, who has threatened them with death if they did not bow down and worship his god.  “There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter.  If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue that you set up.”

As we are faced with discerning the will of God, we may want God to act in a miraculous way: just show me God; make your way crystal clear to me so that others and I can be ecstatic about what you are asking of me!  But what if God leaves us in the dark and we have no way to answer those who say to us: That is not a right choice for you? Would we, similar to the humility of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, say to those who taunt us about our vocation or the choice we are about to make:  “If my God, whom I serve, can make it crystal clear to me what His will is and also turn your opposition to acceptance of the choice I am about to make,  may God do so.  But even if he will not, know that I will follow what I believe is God’s will for me and not give in to your doubts and outright statement that what I am choosing is not for me.”  God will give me the strength to remain firm without miracles.

 As we discern God’s will, there will be times when we are not able to defend our position but need to remain silent and wait upon God. God will defend us in God’s time.  We may look stupid or feel humiliated by not getting others to understand our position. However, we are not alone! Jesus did not defend Himself in face of Pilate’s questioning. Nor did He defend Himself upon the cross. It was God’s will that He was carrying out even to His death on the cross. And His Father’s will did not need His defense. Neither does it in your life. 

Responding to the Call to Consecrate One's Life to the Lord

DAY OF FINAL PROFESSION

Sisters Gillian and Yvette

On February 1, 2015, Sisters Gillian Marie Jerome and Yvette Fernander made final vows as Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother.   Several years ago, as postulants, they responded to God’s call, as did Abram, to leave their country, their families and friends to give their lives totally to the Lord as consecrated women.  They vowed poverty, chastity and obedience according to the Way of Life of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, Third Order Franciscans.  Jesus has captured their hearts, their wills, their minds as they journeyed with the Lord through their postulancy, two-year novitiate and five or six years of temporary vows.  With Mary, Mother of Sorrows, they said “Yes, Lord! Be it done unto me according to your will.”  The years of preparation included studies of Franciscan spirituality, the spirituality of the Foundress of our community, study of the vows, theology of community life and a deepening of their understanding of the faith of the Catholic Church and of the Scriptures while serving the poor, catechizing youth, responding to unmet need,  and sharing faith in  and outside of community.

Is God calling you to take that step of becoming a member of a religious community? If so, be encouraged by these brave, faith-filled women.