"Gladly will I do it, Lord!"
Francis was in a crumbling church when suddenly, from the crucifix he was praying in front of, he heard a 'voice'. He recognized it as being the very voice of God. The voice told him to rebuild the broken down church he was praying in.
Francis was in a crumbling church when suddenly, from the crucifix he was praying in front of, he heard a 'voice'. He recognized it as being the very voice of God. The voice told him to rebuild the broken down church he was praying in.
Francis' response is whole-hearted. He expresses his joy at not only hearing the voice of God but at being asked by the Divine One to help Him. Francis' words are more than enthusiastic! They express (in just those few words) some of the qualities that made Francis such a wonderful and spiritual man.
Francis didn't question the voice. Nor did he wonder at what God was asking him. He didn't complain to God. Nor did he express doubts that it could be done. Francis fully submitted to the expressed will of God. With joy he welcomed the opportunity to serve God. One could get the sense that, because of what he heard and what was being asked of him - he felt himself to be the richest man on earth!
Are we as open to God as Francis was? Do we express such joy at hearing His voice? Are we so anxious to serve God that we await and look for opportunities to do so? Do we reject and refuse to consider the obstacles that we might face in trying to serve and please God and focus rather on how and what we can do?
2 comments:
Shalom,
I am inspired by those who hear the Voice, are able to identify it as the Voice with certitude, and follow it wholeheartedly. I find myself struggling to hear the Voice--striving to "hear" it is already a mistake, for in striving, there is too much of me, which blocks mine ears to hear what is already and always there. Then I second-guess what I hear. Was that the Voice, or am I convincing myself that I heard something because I want to hear ... either a desire to hear in general, or a desire to hear something specific. Finally, I can't say I have the confidence or belief in myself to follow what I might hear. It might be a hard path to follow, something that "I" find threatening. As it is said that everyone wants to go to Heaven but no one wants to die, I find myself wanting to walk but lacking confidence to take a step. Did Francis experience any of these lapses? If so, how did he overcome them?
I think, in dealing with anything spiritual, it is hard to know whether what you are hearing or experiencing is 'true' - real - outside of yourself. The test (real proof) is that what you hear radically changes you and changes the world is which you live - sometimes concretely as well. Sometimes the only proof is that which has happened to you - you are different in a significant way and the changes are clearly something that only (probably) could be due to a power beyond and outside of you. That is one reason we cling to scripture - we know it to be Divine, powerful, and something that others have experienced as a power beyond earthly powers. Just my thoughts on yours! Peace in your journey of faith. Like Paul says, To know God we must "believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those that earnestly seek Him"
Your brother,
Mike
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