Intersections

Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator

One of our members recently quoted Fr. Larry Gillick in a GL: "In the Spiritual Life, prayer becomes the intersection of God's desire and our desire, which does take our time to find beneath the layers of selfishness and fear. God meets us where our deep desires percolate. It does take honesty, patience and a rawness of heart." I spent some time pondering these beautiful words. (BTW, thanks, Judy!)

Then I opened the Scriptures this morning to find that today's Gospel passage was a familiar passage from St. Matthew that gives us an opportunity to listen to Jesus at prayer. In that prayer, I could hear the "intersection" of which Fr. Larry speaks. At that time Jesus said in reply, "I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. (Matthew 11:25-26) Jesus is praying in gratitude to the Heavenly Father and expressing God's will for us at the same time. God wants us to be childlike, wants us to be open to the mysteries which confound the wise and the learned.

This revelation prompts me to ask, "Is this what I want?" Do I want to be childlike? Most adults, myself included, don't relish the idea of becoming the cared for rather than the caregiver. We cherish our independence, and the thought of relinquishing it to someone else is not all that enticing. Yet, if we are honest, as Fr. Larry suggests, we realize that we are called to be obedient children, looking for ways to make God's desires and our desires intersect and converge into one.

I usually write this "blog" early in the morning, before the rest of my Franciscan community stirs. In about half an hour, we will gather for our daily morning prayer. As I go to the chapel this morning, I will be thinking of ways that I can make my will and God's will one today. I hope you will be doing the same.