Understanding, Identifying and Doing God’s will - Part I

I was responding to a post on Facebook today and I saw a comment on my friend Rachel’s page: “I pray that you find the deepest desire of your heart. And I pray that you respect me as I am found by mine.” Seemingly sharp in its context but brilliant in its idiom. The statements reflects the two manners in which we perceive God’s will: when our prayerful pursuit of His will allows us to perceive the path and when God pursues us by intimating His plan. God revealed His will in both of these manners to St. Benedict Joseph Labre. Because this saint received a seemingly bizarre call which required an apparently absurd response, the manner is which God conveyed His will was accordingly pronounced. For this reason the life of Benedict Joseph continues to be of relevance to the modern Christian who seeks to do God’s will as he journeys through life.

The life of Benedict Joseph is certainly peculiar. As a young man he felt what he believed to be a sure call, not only to monastic life but to the austere and rigid community of La Trappe. Despite his sincere attempts to gain admittance, La Trappe never accepted Benedict Joseph and neither was he able to find permanent admittance in any other community. Confused, he accepted his fate and adopted the life of a vagabond beggar. Going without money and shelter, he continuously travelled from one pious site in Europe to another. A perpetual pilgrim, Benedict Joseph eventually died alone outside a small Church in Rome. His path was unique, but there is no indication that Benedict Joseph ever felt that he had failed to follow the divine will. The Church confirmed the holiness of Benedict Joseph Labre by beatifying him in 1860 and then elevating him to sainthood in 1881.

Pursuing the Will of God

As mentioned, what is most intriguing about the life of Benedict Joseph Labre is not only the peculiarity of his vocation but also the manner in which he identified, sought and fulfilled God’s will. Benedict Joseph’s genuinely held the belief that God was calling him to monastic life was and he diligently pursued this path. As Antonio Maria Coltraro relates in “The Life of Venerable Servant of God, Benedict Joseph Labre”:

“he had from a boy the inspiration of God to live a very austere life, as he himself declared to his parents and to his confessors, but he did not know in what manner, in what religious order or solitude. Being grown up, he made two attempts to enter La Trappe, but was obliged to give up the thought of it, understanding from his parents and from the Bishop of Boulogne, that this was not the will of God. He then tried La Chartreuse, but was rejected, for these fathers knew, and said to him clearly, that God did not will him to be one of them. No one remained to him but the very rigid cloister of the Cistercian Fathers at Sept Fontaines. He goes with great eagerness; he enters, satisfied, believing that he has at length ascertained the will of God; but Almighty God begins to afflict him in such a manner with continual illness and interior trials, that these religious men tell him openly, that God wills him in another state and not amongst them, though they knew him to be a youth of great perfection.” (p. 44-45)

It retrospectively assessing the life of Benedict Joseph one might be inclined to speculate that he misperceived his monastic calling. However, there is no evidence of an occasion where he honestly perceived God’s will to differ from own. Further, Benedict Joseph was faithful and prayerful and pursued the deepest longing of his heart. In such circumstances, is it correct to conclude that because he was not permitted to remain in any monastery God had not desired for him to seek admittance?

That God does not ultimately grant a prayerfully derived longing of the heart does not mean that its pursuit did not reflect His will. As God directed Abraham to sacrifice Issac in the desert but then prevented the execution, the life of Benedict Joseph is just another illustration that in following God’s will we must distinguish between our actions and the result of our actions. Following Gods will does not guarantee temporal results. The saint passionately pursues the deepest longings of his heart. When our discernment is genuine and our efforts are honest then we do God’s will even though the fruits may be hidden:

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. - Thomas Merton, “Thoughts in Solitude”

When God does not fully reveal his plan to us we may stray from His perfect will. Being human and sinful, we undoubtedly will encounter circumstances in which the temptation to pursue a path of our own choosing overpowers our spiritual intentions. Finding ourselves on a different path than God would have preferred for us to be on we may wonder whether we are doing God’s will. In fact, if we stand looking at the shadows of the past we are not doing his will. We can not grasp the shadows of the past but we can hold God in the present:

“The present is very precious; these are the days of salvation; now is the acceptable time. How sad that you do not spend the time in which you might purchase everlasting life in a better way. The time will come when you will want just one day, just one hour in which to make amends, and do you know whether you will obtain it?” Thomas De Kempis, “Imitation of Christ”

…

But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you.” – Luke 12:20 NRSV

Understanding and accepting that God’s will always operates in the present is essential to growing in relationship with Jesus and accomplishing His will. Guilt and regret may be an element often found within Catholics, but it ought not to be more than a passing sentiment. Yes, from fault must flow contrition and repentance. However, once we receive forgiveness, we must accept this generous gift and acknowledge that God makes us anew. Similarly, having chosen a path which God did not intend for us to traverse may lead us to recognize our mistake but it is imperative that we firmly resolve to direct each future step according to His desires.

Benedict Joseph Labre undoubtedly understood that God only asked of him that of which he was capable. Benedict Joseph prayed and discerned and then followed the path he perceived. Like Benedict Joseph, God does not ask us to perceive the imperceptible. God asks us to follow Benedict Joseph’s example of prayer, hope and trust and than act upon the fruits of our prayer. If we do this - what God asks of us – we fulfill His will.

God’s pursuit of our hearts

To be continued…