Psalm Reflection: The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle B

“Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.” - Psalms 40

Managing other people is not something I enjoy. I have learned to do it somewhat well in my sixteen years coordinating volunteers as a minister, but it always presents frustrating and unnecessary difficulties. 

Why was the TV-series The Office so successful and entertaining to watch? It was not because Michael Scott, the manager of the office who was played by Steve Carell, was excellent as his job. It was precisely because the characters did such outrageous things in their roles that presented incredible difficulties for an effective working environment. The show connected with the very real-world experiences we have of trying to work with others or manage people who are not easy to manage.

If you have ever had to work on a group project or be part of a team without clear direction or leadership, you know the nightmare that can result from trying to coordinate and agree with other people, especially those you do not know well or who have completely different opinions.

Imagine how God feels managing all of us. God is trying to direct us and we respond in all of the same frustrating ways. We try and take charge, we refuse to be led, we do the bare minimum, or we fail to do our part in the first place.

“Maybe it should be this way instead?”

“Why are we doing things like this?

“I am just going to do my part, but nothing else.”

We are all that person we all dread being stuck in a group project with. But what if we took the words of the Psalmist to heart? What if we all approached the Lord saying: “Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will?” 

And when we do, how do we discern and follow God’s will? Instead of trying to take charge, procrastinate, or do the bare minimum, we can seek out and follow the Lord’s direction in a number of ways:

1. We can wait. God’s discernment of our readiness is often not the same as our own. Waiting prepare us to more faithfully follow the Lord.  Be patient. As Saint Augustine said:

”You do not yet see what you long for, but the very act of desiring prepares you, so that when he comes you may see and be utterly satisfied. Suppose you are going to fill some holder or container, and you know you will be given a large amount. Then you set about stretching your sack or wineskin or whatever it is. Why? Because you know the quantity you will have to put in it and your eyes tell you there is not enough room. By stretching it, therefore, you increase the capacity of the sack, and this is how God deals with us. Simply by making us wait he increases our desire, which in turn enlarges the capacity of our soul, making it able to receive what is to be given to us." - Homilies on the First Letter of St John, Hom. 4

2. We can ask. We do not always clearly and plainly tell God what we are seeking. Even though He knows our thoughts and desires, He does not overwhelm our free will. 

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” - Matthew 7:7

3. We can listen. Between noise, technology, and so many people competing for our attention, we have rare occasion for quiet and silence. We cannot discern God’s will if we are not unplugging and entering into prayer on a daily basis. 

4. We can obey. Whether we feel we know the Lord’s will or not, we do know what basic responsibilities He has called us to in life as members of families, citizens, employees, friends, students, volunteers, etc. The more faithful we are in these everyday matters and in the smaller things in life, the easier it will be to remain faithful in larger matters when they come.

5. We can be open. If we only expect God to work in certain ways we will not be listening for or paying attention to anything outside of our spiritual tunnel vision. We need to be open to and expect God to work in unexpected ways, and not reformulate our own opinions and plans that we prioritize above His.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways—oracle of the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9

6. We can sacrifice. If you cannot say no, then your yes means nothing. If we are not in the regular habit of denying ourselves and developing the discipline needed to be a faithful disciple, it will be very hard to say yes to God when the important choices come to us. Fasting and acts of self-denial help us develop the ability to better do God’s will.

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me.” - Luke 9:23

7. We can trust and surrender. Ultimately, we cannot do God’s will on our own. It is ultimately God who, through the salvation He won for us on the cross, enables us with the grace we need to faithfully follow Him. We must let go of the desire to be in control, to understand, or to have the full picture, and simply trust that God is always up to something good and has proved His faithfulness to us thousands of times over. We can trust Him.

“We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28

I encourage you to pick one of these things to take to heart,  intentionally reflect upon, and try to put into practice this week. The more we can grow in all of these areas, the easier it will be for us to confidently say, “here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.”

I am praying for you, please pray for me, and I will see you in the Eucharist.

Matt

This reflection is based on the Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday, January 14th, 2024, which is The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle B: Psalms 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10.