Murder in the Cathedral<\/em><\/a>, invites us to evaluate our actions more closely to see if we truly are doing God\u2019s will (the right deed) or if we are just following our own desires (the wrong reason).<\/p>\nMy first assignment as a young Oblate priest, to my surprise and delight, was not to a specific ministry, but a transfer to the Province of Keewatin. On an impulse, I called the provincial of that province to ask if I could first learn Cree. He suggested I go to Beauval in northern Saskatchewan to study under the pastor, a veteran Cree-speaking missionary. That plan did not materialize as this pastor opted to move to another remote community within three weeks, leaving me suddenly in charge of the mission.<\/p>\n
My response was to kick into high gear, driven by my unconscious workaholism, Messiah complex, and Mr. Fix-it style of ministry. I initiated all kinds of programs (youth group, Christopher Leadership Course, involvement with A.A., parish council, parish ladies, and developing catechetical programs in two schools) \u2013 all valuable ministry. However, after a year, I felt burnt-out, frustrated, and like quitting the priesthood as nothing seemed to be changing.<\/p>\n
Looking back now, I am convinced the Holy Spirit intervened, when Sr. Simard sgm gave me a small pamphlet that opened my eyes to my own inner reality. The author discovered that Christianity was not easy, nor was it hard (with which I could identify) \u2013 it was impossible. Suddenly, it all became clear \u2013 I was doing all the right things \u2013 much needed ministry, but for the wrong reason \u2013 my own glory and reputation. I was not really doing God\u2019s will \u2013 I was doing my will in God\u2019s name. I was living the words of T. S Eliot, and committing treason \u2013 doing the right thing for the wrong reason. I jogged out into the bush, prayed before a pine tree, and surrendered my will to God\u2019s, finally accepting that these were his people, not mine, and this was God\u2019s church, not mine. A huge load was lifted off my shoulders, and I experienced a profound healing and a deep peace, for which I could only be grateful.<\/p>\n
In today\u2019s gospel, Jesus is clear that doing God\u2019s will, not our own, is the criteria for entering the kingdom of God. I took a huge step into the kingdom of God that day through that prayer of surrender. Jesus continues to invite us to build our lives on rock, not on sand. That rock is now God\u2019s will for me, while the sand would be my own plans and desires, apart from God\u2019s will. Discerning what is really God\u2019s will for me is paramount in my life. I was helped to do that by my former spiritual director, Sr. Frances McDougall, who suggested I pray with my schedule, and ask myself this question for each item \u2013 is it God\u2019s will or just my own desire? That simple suggestion has made a great difference for me, and I continue to do that.<\/p>\n
Step Eleven of the 12 Step program has also been helpful: \u201cSought through prayer and meditation to improve my conscious contact with God, seeking only the knowledge of God\u2019s will for me and the power to carry it out.\u201d Truly, all we need to pray for is what is God\u2019s will for us and the ability to carry out that will, whatever it is.<\/p>\n
I think it is safe to say that living the Beatitudes (being poor in spirit, gentle, empathic, merciful, a peace-maker, striving for justice, and accepting suffering), and keeping the commandments Jesus gave us (loving God with our whole being, loving others as we love ourselves, loving one another as Jesus has loved us, and above all, loving our enemies by forgiving and blessing them) has to clearly be God\u2019s will for us.<\/p>\n
Being able to say \u201cno\u201d to some demands, and putting priorities into our lives can also be helpful. Building our lives on rock brings to mind an exercise demonstrated for us during a World-Wide Marriage Encounter Leadership Through Relationship<\/em>session recently. The facilitator demonstrated how to put a small pail of sand and a number of rocks into a large jug. When he poured the sand in first, he could only put in half the rocks. But when he put all the rocks in first, and poured the sand over them, the sand trickled down in between the rocks, and he had no problem getting all the rocks and sand into the jug.<\/p>\nSo, when I \u201cpray with my schedule\u201d and put the \u201cbig rocks\u201d into place first of all (things such as a holy hour, a monthly retreat or poustinia, divine office, Eucharist, rosary, day\u2019s off, holiday time, community meetings, annual retreat, spiritual reading, etc.), all the rest that happens becomes \u201csand\u201d that can possibly find a space or not. I must admit this was a liberating experience for me, and a lesson I want to continually out into practice.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/archbishopsylvainlavoie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/St-Cyril-of-Alexandria.jpeg\")
St Cyril of Alexandria<\/p><\/div>\n
Today, the church honors St. Cyril of Alexandria, who spent his life doing God\u2019s will. Cyril was a patriarch of the Eastern Church and a Greek theologian. In 412, he succeeded his uncle as archbishop of Alexandria and used his power and wealth to champion his cause \u2013 the defence of the doctrines of the Church. At the Council of Ephesus in 431 in great Christological controversy against Nestorius, Cyril held that the relationship between the divine and human in Christ was so closely united that the Virgin was actually Theotokos<\/em>(Mother of God). This controversy engaged Cyril until his death in 444. In 1882, he was declared a doctor of the Church.<\/p>\nThe Eucharist is one of the big rocks that I try to celebrate every day. It is what sustains me and keeps me grounded in my relationship with God, as does contemplative prayer. It also mandates me to live out the Eucharist, not according to my own ideas and plans, but always to focus on what is God\u2019s will for me that day.<\/p>\n
So hopefully, for me there will be no more incidents of treason \u2013 of doing all the right things for the wrong reasons. There will be only a genuine living out of Step Eleven \u2013 seeking only the knowledge of God\u2019s will for me and the power to carry it out.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
HOMILY WEEK 12 04 The Worst Kind of Treason Optional Memorial: St. Cyril of Alexandria (Gen 16:1-16; Ps 106; Mt 7:21-29) ********************************************** \u201cThe last act is the greatest treason. To do the right deed for the wrong reason.\u201d That quote, by T.S. Eliot in\u00a0Murder in the Cathedral, invites us to evaluate our actions more closely […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-homilies","category-ordinary-time"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/archbishopsylvainlavoie.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/archbishopsylvainlavoie.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/archbishopsylvainlavoie.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/archbishopsylvainlavoie.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/archbishopsylvainlavoie.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2498"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/archbishopsylvainlavoie.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2498\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2501,"href":"http:\/\/archbishopsylvainlavoie.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2498\/revisions\/2501"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/archbishopsylvainlavoie.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/archbishopsylvainlavoie.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/archbishopsylvainlavoie.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}