15 January 2014
Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
“Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.” This verse from the responsorial psalm today goes to the heart of the Spiritual Exercises, which are meant to enable a person to more freely discern the will of God in his or her life. Samuel embodies that attitude, praying, “Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.” Can we pray with a similar spirit? A GPS system is a relevant analogy for this kind of free trust in God’s guidance. Although I often do not understand where or why my GPS is telling me to go down certain streets, I have faith that it has a much larger view in mind. Moreover, I believe that it is determined to take me to my destination. Of course God’s providence is infinitely greater than any gadget, and we can’t program our own plans into God’s. He has something far more glorious in mind. Our destination is eternal beatitude with God in Heaven, the consummation of all our souls’ longings. St. Ignatius’ First Principle and Foundation teaches us that we ought to let all God’s creation conspire to bring us to God. Let us pray that we can say with the psalmist that “ears open to obedience you gave me” as we seek to hear and follow God’s subtle yet sure guidance in our lives.