Dear Parishioners,
Because my mother had to go to work, I spent my summer holidays at babysitter’s house. She was an elderly, Puerto Rican who had three grown children. I can attest that she was a very stern yet loving babysitter.
I mention stern because she also looked after a child who was five years younger. He had a bit of a temper, but I believe it was also because he had certain learning difficulties (it was not so obvious then). Whenever he would have a tantrum, my babysitter would calm him down with a phrase: Hágase tu voluntad. (Let your will be done). You wouldn’t believe it, but it did calm him down.
It would seem that my babysitter was patronising him, but perhaps she knew that she had let the child be. God does the same with us when it comes to one’s will. He is such a gentleman that he allows us to do our will; but perhaps it is necessary for us to contemplate what God really wants from us. St. Augustine reminds us that we have the freedom to do whatever we want; but true freedom would then mean that we would seek to what is good and perfect in our lives.
Obviously, no human being can say that they have lived to this maxim. But perhaps God says to us, ‘Let your will be done,’ in order for us to realise that we should be doing his will, not ours.
Let us look to Christ who lived in total obedience to the Father because he realised that his obedience is a fruit the love he has with his Father – a love we are able to share today.
As in this Sunday’s collect says:
Almighty ever-living God,
grant that we may always conform
our will to yours
and serve your majesty in sincerity of heart.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Amen
Fr. Carlos