A Reflection for Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
You can find today’s readings here.
“Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.”
On more than one occasion, I have prayed that God would magically reveal what grand plan he has for my life. I’ve thought it all through for him. While in deep prayer, with my eyes closed, God could sigh and finally give into my pleading; beginning with a booming Fine!, he could read off the checklist of my life’s duties. ‘Go back to school; you are meant to solve all global conflicts,’ he might say. Maybe a more cryptic ‘Move to the woods and write.’ Perhaps even a cheeky ‘You would have already found your answer if you prayed more often.’
It may not come as a surprise to anyone that I have yet to experience such an explicit revelation. But in today’s readings, I may have gotten one.
Throughout today’s readings there is a message of obedience, and a clarification of whom we shall obey. The first reading gives us an explanation of Jesus' unique and holy presence; the psalm reminds us of our duty to serve and follow his will; the Gospel reveals the mercy Jesus demonstrates to those who believe in him.
The psalm presents the message most clearly: “Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will” (Psalm 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17). I was taken aback when I first read it. Its simplicity struck me. Could it really be that straightforward?
Today we are reminded that each and every one of us is called by the Lord to do his will. This is everyone’s mission in life. It covers all the bases, really. God’s will is to love all, so we must love all. God wants hope and peace on earth, so we must be that hope and bring that peace to every place we inhabit. The list goes on and on. Our job, then, is to discern how our individual talents, interests and gifts can be used to serve God as instruments of peace.
Sometimes we need a little reminder to trust the process. The Gospel tells of large crowds that gathered to follow Jesus, seeking to be healed by his touch. We are told that unclean spirits fell before him and proclaimed “You are the Son of God.” And the Gospel ends with “He warned them sternly not to make him known” (Mark 3:7-12). In this moment, God in all his mercy sternly instructs the crowds. He is not reprimanding them, but instead is asking them to trust him, and to do what he says. This is where my “unanswered” pleas come in.
God has already given us instructions on how to lead our lives. Though doing his will and obeying him will certainly look different for every person (not everyone is called to retreat to the woods for a life of solitude and writing), that is the beauty of living in communion with each other. If we all follow God’s example of love in everything we do, everything else will surely fall into place. So I guess God has been responding all along.
