Day 38 Knowing God's Will

 So a lot has been happening with Thomas.  After everyone and their brother keeps asking him if he wants to be a priest he visits his friend and former teacher Mark in New York on the way down to Harlem. Over lunch Mark mentions that he talked to some of his friends "in the know" about Thomas' rejection from the Franciscans. They said that if Thomas took "no" so easily that he probably is right, he doesn't have a calling to be a priest.  Well this news turns Thomas' world upside down!  Up until now he had seen this rejection as "God's will".  Now he was given a different way to view it, as a challenge to get through to accomplish God's will.  This settles it for Thomas.  He goes back up to school and talks to one of the Franciscans and lays out his whole life.  Fr Philotheus says, "Of course you can be a priest." He is filled with an inner peace and decides to go enter the Trappist monastery. He writes if he can spend Christmas with them but doesn't say he is planning to stay in case they ask alot of questions.  They agree.  As if this isn't enough drama he gets another notice from the draft board saying they want him to come in for another medical exam.  He writes the draft board and states he thinks he is going to be a Trappist monk if they will have him.  The draft board gives him one month reprieve. Thomas gives almost all his possessions to the Baroness in Harlem and boards a train for Kentucky.  With every mile he is filled more and more with peace.  

Whew, there is a lot to unpack here. It is amazing that Thomas spends about two years feeling that by not becoming a priest he is doing God's Will.  There are three points I take away from this.  First, he was given bad advice from a priest.  Now I am a big fan of priests, I almost became one, but they are not infallible and some are better than others. [ We don't even have to go to the Sex abuse scandal here in America.]  So if you were given advice that was hurtful from a priest on behalf of the Catholic Church or any church I would like to apologize.  Talk to another priest or go to my second point.  My second point is that Thomas' eyes are open to how best to interpret events by talking to a friend of his.  Wow, I bet Mark didn't know what great force for God he would be unleashing with his words!  This brings me back to what we discussed on  Day 36 about God reveals Himself when we talk with others.  My third point is that doing God's will brings peace the world can not give.  If you are constantly troubled by something there is a message there.

My prayer today Lord is Help me to know Your Will.  I realize text or a call would not take faith so keep pounding me with the grace of friends, family and my prayers.  Like Thomas I should eventually catch on.

Amen

Pax

Joe