Let God LeadFebruary 20, 2023

It is Only with the Heart that One Sees Rightly….

Today’s reflection continues the theme of my last submission; namely it is very easy to allow our ego to direct our ministry in God’s name. The journey today as I experience it is to let God lead and not my ego .

And in this process I came across an article given me by one of my sisters years ago and I find it very relevant to the spiritual journey today. It contains a quote from Thomas Merton from his book “Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander”, p. 73

“There is a pervasive form of modern violence to which the idealist…most easily succumb: activism and over-work. The rush and pressure of modern life are a form, perhaps the most common form, of its innate violence.

To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything is to succumb to violence.

The frenzy of the activist neutralizes his (her) work…It destroys the fruitfulness of his (or her) work, because it kills the root of inner wisdom which makes it fruitful.”

Much to ponder here!

I believe our foundress St. Angela gave us the guidance for the transformation of the such violence in her ninth Counsel where she says “Above all, be attentive to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit that you will hear in your heart.” “Above all”are pretty strong and direct words; listening for God’s Spirit in our heart comes first and before all of her other directives. It is amazing how Angela’s and Merton’s visions are so timely for our world today and how fortunate we are to have them. May we all be attentive to what stirs in our hearts today.

Sister Ann Winters