If It Were Only That Simple …

Brothers and sisters: I should like you to be free of anxieties.
1 Corinthians 7:32

Whenever we want to ask some favor of a powerful man, we do it humbly and respectfully, for fear of presumption. How much more important, then, to lay our petitions before the Lord God of all things with the utmost humility and sincere devotion. We must know that God regards our purity of heart and tears of compunction, not our many words. Prayer should therefore be short and pure, unless perhaps it is prolonged under the inspiration of divine grace In community, however, prayer should always be brief; and when the superior gives the signal, all should rise together.
Chapter 20 of The Rule of St. Benedict.

Sure, St. Paul. Easy for you to say. You came preaching after you were knocked off your horse and blinded by God. You had to “see” in order to see. We remain blind to the good that He provides, and the answers we seek.

Perhaps the most challenging issue for we imperfect humans is praying for a solution, instead of just being thankful in prayer. Events will unfold as they will, there will be resolution, or not. Misunderstanding and mistrust will be repaired and relationships restored. Or not.

I will realize my dream in all its imagined glory, or I will be left behind as life moves forward.

Our pastor at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception  in Kansas City, Mo., Father Paul Turner, laid it out so well in a homily, about Jesus asking his disciples “What are you  looking for?”

Christ asks each of us, “What are you looking for?” Christ invites each of us, “Come and see.” Come to Jesus. Come in humility. History shows you will not see everything clearly at once, but you will see.

It is right in front of us. The solution, I mean. It is not “thing” or “act” or “person”. It is our response to St. Paul’s exhortation to let the path unfold.

Thew answer will be there.

It always was.

God knew, as always, what is good and right for us.

It is that simple.