I have a wall in our bedroom that I covered with pictures of quotes and one of them says, "I want and I choose what better leads to the deepening of God’s life in me" (Saint Ignatius of Loyola).
That's what came to mind while I read today's Responsorial Psalm proclaiming, "Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. . . . To do your will, O my God, is my delight" (Psalm 40:7).
For me, this is one of those prayers that really stretches me to show up where I'm needed and called. To respond to what's right in front of me. To love and serve, and to take action with joy.
It makes me think of the moments when I don't want to do the dishes for the second time that day. Or cook one more meal that week. Or finish folding the laundry because I had a long and tiresome day.
Sometimes these mundane tasks at home feel unrelated to God's will for our lives, but that couldn't be any further from the truth. Anything that is a part of our lives—and most especially things that we have to do often and repeatedly—are places where God meets us. It's so important for us to look for Him in those moments and to open up a conversation with Him there.
I don't always feel certain I know God's will in my life. I know many of us don't. But I know that this prayer, "Here I am, Lord, I come to do your will," gets us one step closer to having some clarity—and to doing something loving in the meantime, ultimately leading us to a deepening of God's life within us.
What is something you do every day, and how can you be receptive to His presence in that task today?
LOVING GOD, LOVING OTHERS
A NEW WORKSHOP
COME BACK TO FIRST LOVE
