By: Bobot Apit

Oct 25, 2010 – Monday Meditation (Thy Will be Done!) 
When you are living in His will - all will be well!
 
  
Monday of the 30th week in Ordinary Time 
Ephesians 4:32-5:8 
Psalm 1:1-2, 2-3, 4+6 
Luke 13:10-17 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And there was a woman who had had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. 12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity." 13 And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day." 15 Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger, and lead it away  to water it? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?" 17 As he said this, all his adversaries were
put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him. 
  
Meditation by Cathy Weiss Pedersen 
Recently, my husband and I visited our daughter and son-in-law and our grandson, Henry who celebrated his second birthday.  It was wonderful to watch Henry delight in everything that was going on around him, as he tried to imitate and do whatever we adults were doing - preparing a meal, washing dishes, sweeping the floor, reading a book, etc., as well as repeating words and phrases that he heard us say.  It is amazing the things that a two year old can ‘pick up’ from the world around him or her!!! 
I am reminded of the eagerness of young children to imitate the people around them as I read Ephesians today, where we are called to be images of God: “Try, then, to imitate God, beloved children.”  
  
What does this mean to each of us?  What is our image of God? How ARE we to act, to live, to be?  Ephesian’s passage encourages us to to be kind to one another, compassionate and forgiving as God has forgiven us...and to give thanks.  
  
However, it seems that we are surrounded by opposite messages in our world today.  Regardless of one’s political leanings, it is always the ‘they’ of the other side who do everything wrong. Often times, one’s religious identity and intention are defined by others’ skewed interpretation of a given religion.  In our uncertain economic times, programs that would assist the least fortunate are maligned for the great expense involved and/or targeted for budget cuts.  Angered sport fans seem to need to lash out at the coach or players for a lost game.  I wonder what image of God is at work here... 
  
Yet, in my day to day interactions with others, I find myself getting caught up in a judgmental ‘reactive’ mode at times.  How did I treat the company representative who needs to be sure that our furnace problem needs to be corrected before the snow flies? 
  
Where was my patience with my co-worker or family member regarding an unfinished project?   Is it ok that I only accomplished a few things on my ‘to-do’ list today? 
  
In today’s Gospel, Jesus raises the ire of the synagogue leader as Jesus heals the bent over woman of her crippling disease of eighteen years on the Sabbath.  The leader’s indignation, based on Sabbath law, totally missed Jesus’ caring concern for the woman’s suffering.  
  
From where does my/our anger, indignation and judgement arise in our daily lives? 
  
If each of us are called to live into our unique image of God, what might we do to live out the commitment of our Baptismal vocation--to be God-presence, in our interactions with others? 
  
Taking quiet time daily to be reflective...sitting in God’s presence and opening to knowing God more deeply offers a time to re-center myself so that I might REAL-ize what it means to ‘imitate God’...be God’s presence today.  I pray that I/we might re-member our call by making time to be with our God so that we can be kind, compassionate and forgiving ...be imitators of God today, and everyday...and to give thanks! 
  
  
Supplementary Reading 
Giving In - To God's Will 
  
"...Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven." -Matthew 6:10, KJV 
  
Give up? Give in? Never, you say. After all, haven't we been taught not to quit, to endure to the end, to be strong and courageous? Yes, but! 
  
All of the above is true provided you have first given in to God's will. 
  
When we pray the Lord's Prayer, we begin by praising God and remembering to Whom we are praying, and to Whom we are giving permission to do His will in our lives. God is all loving, all powerful, always there for us - we CAN trust Him completely with every area of our lives. 
  
So, before you dig in your heels, be sure you have heeled to the will of God. This does not mean giving Him permission; it means asking Him for permission. And, even more than that, it means praying, "Lord, what are You up to today? I want to be a part of it." Rather than "Lord, this is what I am up to today - please be a part of my plans." 
  
Why is it so important to make sure we are submitting to God? Because He has plans for our lives and they are good, plans to give us futures with hope. If we go our own ways, we will miss out on His blessings and His wonderful plans for our lives. 
  
So give in! Before you refuse to give up! And heel to the will of God before you dig your heels in. When you are living in His will - all will be well! 
  
Dear Lord, You are all knowing and all loving. Why would I not want to pursue Your will for my life? Help me to hear Your voice and follow Your lead in everything I do. Amen. - Sheila S. Coleman