Writings: Thy will be done….

Over the years, little bits of things make a bit more sense. Time passes & experience grows, as I watch the way others do things & I do things, in this play we write each day, together.

Since I was a young monk, my parents sent me to Roman Catholic schools, even though we were Anglican (or Episcopalians, in the US).

Even though I wasn’t really a monk in the usual sense, I was attracted to the idea of a daily office, or what my Buddhist friends call a practice.

The idea of doing & saying the same things over & over each day served then & now to help underline that we’re here to live spiritual lives, and then do stuff in the physical world. In that order, rather than the reverse.

At least, that’s the way I see it, hey….

When I taught my first high school job in New Orleans, it was (naturally) at a Catholic boys’ high school, where we were required to offer the Lord’s Prayer or a Hail Mary before each class. I liked the “Our Father,” so that’s the one my class began with. It was already part of the little daily office I had made for myself, along with the St. Francis “Make Me An Instrument” prayer.

One of the phrases that stuck with me then was pretty simple, the four words: Thy will be done. 

At the time, I understood it in the do-what-your-parents-tell-you sense. Follow the rules, do the bosses’ will.

Do what you’re supposedta.

Over time, it became more & more apparent  to me that “thy will” had more to it than that. As I watched people who felt to me to have that special gift of bringing spirit alive in the world, I started feeling a shift with both “Thy will be done” and “Make me an instrument of thy peace“…and I hope it’s OK that I share that with you, as a notion for you to turn over in your mind, to float in your head, to move your body to places where you show people what it means to share & heal.

Kinda makes  things feel more, mean more, and do joy – more.

I’m pretty aware my poor efforts to share this as words is only the first part of what we’re visiting about here. So, I’d like to wrap up with a little prayer from Brother Charles, one of my spiritual heroes who made simple things turn into amazing things.

Let me know how it goes. I love the way you love, dear brothers & sisters.

Hugback –
Brother Ian

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Prayer of Abandonment

Father,
I abandon myself into your hands;
Do with me what you will.

Whatever you may do, I thank you:
I am ready for all, I accept all.

Let only your will be done in me, and in all your creatures.
I wish no more than this, O Lord.

~Brother Charles de Foucauld,