If I Really Want God's Help

The "Wedding at Cana" has always been a challenging story for me. I mean I get the miracle...obviously. And the foreshadowing seen in the water being turned into wine. But what I have always struggled to really "get" is the interaction between Mary and Jesus.

Here they are at a wedding...and presumably it was a relative of theirs since Mary seems to be involved in (or at least aware of) the behind-the-scenes details...and they run out of wine. Mary turns to Jesus and tells Him that they are out of wine. And no matter how many times I look at it, I always read Jesus' first response as sort of flip and indignant...something along the lines of "so how is this my problem?" But obviously that isn't what Jesus means. Still it's curious that He doesn't immediately show concern...or even an inclination to help. But of course in the end He does...and we have Jesus first public miracle.

So I started thinking through this today (while working my way through the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary), and I think God pulled the veil back a little bit on this for me. I think maybe that what we have here is a lesson (once again taught to us my Mary) in seeking God's help in our lives.

First, I think maybe the initial exchange between Jesus and His Mother reveals God's desire that we open our hearts to Him and share our true desires and wants (and fears) with Him. You see....initially...Mary doesn't ask anything of Jesus. She simply states a fact, "they have no wine." And because Mary hasn't asked anything of Him....because she hasn't really shared her desire with Him....her "ask"...Jesus pushes back a bit and wonders aloud what this has to do with Him. In essence He is inviting Mary to be more explicit...to think about what she is really saying...and to share her heart's desire with Him. And I think He wants the same from us. Certainly He hears (and answers) our prayers of "Help me, God" or "I Need You" or whatever. But I think His ultimate desire is that we develop the awareness within our self to understand our real desires and motivations...and then the courage to voice them to Him...Our Creator. It's not as if He doesn't already know them. But He wants us to share them nonetheless. He wants to hear them from us...offered freely...by choice. After all, this is what real relationship is right? Sharing yourself with another person...being open...being vulnerable. That's what God desires for each of us...to be in a real relationship with Him. And so to do that, we have to share our hearts.

The second part of this wedding lesson for me is that if we really want His help...not only do we have to ask for it explicitly (and again with full disclosure of our motivation(s))...but we also have to do what He tells us. It seems more and more as I learn and spend time with our Mother, I realize what an incredible teacher she is...what an incredible gift her life is to us. I always hear how Mary points us to Jesus. And while there was a time I thought that was just Catholics trying to make the whole "Mary thing" more digestible to non-Catholics, I'm realizing more and more that it is simply the truth. Mary does point us to Jesus...time and time again.

So here we are, at the Wedding in Cana, and we find Mary telling the servants...and us (since we are servants after all)...that whatever He says to you...do it! You see...again we find that Jesus wants to involve us in His life...in His miracles...in His gifts. I'm sure that Jesus could have simply made the waterpots full of wine. He didn't need anyone to make this miracle happen. But yet He sought the cooperation of others...of us. And just like He had done with Mary. Certainly He could have been born without her consent. The Creator of the universe doesn't need our permission for anything. And for that matter He could have simply redeemed the world without our involvement at all. But yet He didn't. He chose to bless us...not simply by saving us all to begin with...but also allowing us to experience the joy...the immeasurable blessing of participating in our salvation. And just like the first time....here at the Wedding we see Mary once again demonstrating how we are to submit to Him...to His will. "Whatever He tells you, do it." How very reminiscent of her first response, "May it be done to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38).

And so the second piece of receiving God's help is obedience....submission...letting go. We often hear people talking about "giving it to God" with the "it" being whatever your need or worry or fear is. And that certainly gets at the submission aspect. We have to truly stop trying to fix things ourselves (and ideally be like Mary and recognize from the get-go that there is no point in even starting to do it our self) and being willing to allow God to fix things. But the other aspect of that is the need for us to obey Him. If I am going to ask for God's help for a way out of something....or for a solution to some situation...than I need to be willing to do it His way...and that means doing whatever He asks. Whether that means filling up waterpots...or apologizing to someone I hurt...or cutting up my credit card...or taking responsibility for my sin...or admitting my sin out loud to my spouse...I actually have to do it. I have to cooperate with God...I have to work with Him...according to His will.

Now I am not pretending this is easy. God knows (literally) how stubbornly I work to try and fix things or make things turn out a certain way. But if I am honest, I have to admit that the best things that have happened in my life (including the best resolutions to unpleasant things) have happened either without or despite my own efforts. How truly thankful I am that sometimes God graciously works in my life despite myself. He sees my heart...and so often acts based on that...instead of the silly stuff my flesh says or does.

Yes...Mary shows us once again (this time at a wedding)...that if we really want to receive God's help...if we really want to experience His work in our lives...we first have to ask Him...and then we have to obey.

[Postlude: This may seem small and insignificant to those reading this...but I had to share it. Just a few days ago I downloaded a Bible app to my blackberry that includes the feature of having the Bible read out-loud to you. I checked this out briefly when I downloaded it and started with John 1:1....for no particular reason than thinking it would be cool to hear, "...and the Word was made flesh." But after a few seconds I closed the app and went about my day. Now here I am writing this blog entry (many days alter)...and I tell you truly...I start to hear someone talking...and I realize that it is the guy from my Bible app reading the Bible AND....here is the real knock-me-to-the-ground-shut-the-front-door thing...he is reading...are you ready...the Wedding at Cana. I mean come on! The blackberry was in my belt holster (not my pocket where you could argue I pocket-dialed the app)...where it is suppose to "sleep" once it is put in there. Aside from that...it wasn't like I left off at the end of John 1 or anything...i was only a few verses in....but somehow it skipped all the way to John 2. I'm still trying to drink it in. But wow...talk about a God moment. Talk about being in His presence. Amen, Father...and Thank You!]

My Isaac

Many of us are probably familiar with the story of Abraham and Isaac...and how God called Abraham to sacrifice (meaning kill) his only son. In the end, God intervenes and prevents Abraham from actually seeing this through. We knew from the beginning (though Abraham didn't) that this was a test from God of Abraham's trust in Him. And in the end God confirms Abraham's faith:

Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." -Genesis 22:12b

Recently it came to my mind that perhaps we're all called to sacrifice our own Isaac.

You see, I've been struggling with an area of my life that isn't working as I think it should be. I've read about it (and am still reading about it), researched it, and feel like my expectation is consistent with the Bible and with Church teaching. And so my dissatisfaction and frustration feel justified. I'm not being unreasonable...this is how it is suppose to be. But the other day (while out on my daily walk with our dog), it occurred to me that despite that my desire for this aspect of my life to be a certain way may be good and valid...the whole thing may now have too much importance in my life. I have become obsessed with things not being the way I want them to be. I get too distracted and/or too distraught when I'm reminded that things in this area of my life simply aren't right. And it hit me...this is my Isaac.

We have to remember that there was nothing wrong with Isaac. He wasn't evil or bad (he was just a boy)...and in fact, he was the fulfillment of a promise God made to Abraham and Sarah. He was a divine gift. So the fact that Sarah and Abraham treasured him made perfect sense. But maybe things started to get a little skewed. I mean if we think about it, Abraham had been wanting a son for a long time....years upon years. At one point He even took one of his servants as a wife just for the sake of hopefully having a son (even though that was not God's plan). And so when God finally opened Sarah's womb and she gave birth to a baby boy, you can only imagine how much love and attention Abraham poured out on his son. And of course that is good and as it should be. We are to love out children whole-heartedly. But the truth is, we are to love nothing...nothing and no one...more than God. And so maybe Abraham was a little too obsessed with his son...plans for his future...dreams of him taking over for his dad one day. Maybe Abraham was a little too distracted by this love for his son...or maybe he became a little too distraught when things didn't go exactly as he thought they should with his son. So God stepped in to set things right...and to remind Abraham of the proper priorities for his life. And how could God do that? He asked Abraham to let it go...to remove it...to cut out of his life that thing that took him away from God. God asked Abraham to sacrifice...to kill...to permanently remove whatever was in his life that was usurping God's position.

And so here I am...recognizing the Isaac that is in my life. I know that God has led me to where I am in my life. He has brought me to this place where I can realize all these incredible gifts. But I have let one of these gifts become an idol. I have let myself become obsessed with one of God's gifts...I have let it become a pursuit separate from and above God Himself. And most telling of all...I have come to value this gift so much that not only do I not want to be without it...but I can't imagine God wanting me to let it go...in fact I practically deny it as a possibility.

So my choice is clear. I must sacrifice it. If it is that important to me...if it has become an assumed "must have" in my life....then I am not trusting God...trusting Him to meet my every need...in whatever way He sees fit. So it must be let go. I must be willing to carry the fire and wood all the way to the altar. I need to be willing to take the knife and prepare to slay this part of my life. I need to be prepared to let this gift go...to live without it...to pluck out my eye for the sake of it not causing me to sin (Mark 9:47). And I can't bank on God's intervention. I can't do all this hoping for...counting on...God stepping in as He did with Abraham to stop me. No...I have to be willing to see this through. I need to be willing to actually let this good thing go...because by giving it more importance than it deserves...I have twisted it into something bad. And it is better that I live without this good thing...than to let it distract me from my first priority: To know Him, to Love Him and to serve Him.

Reflections on the Glorious Mysteries

The Resurrection

This is the difference maker. This is the answer to the question of how can God allow [insert latest tragedy or evil]. If this is it....meaning if this life is all that there is...then the tragedies and injustices and horrors that sometimes seem to surround us can indeed overwhelm us. But this is NOT it. There is more...there is Eternity. This is but a stage...a visit...a temporary home. And our Faith hinges on The Resurrection.

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised ; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.
~ 1 Corinthians 15:13-14

The Ascension

The Apostles were left staring into the clouds...lost in the rapture of that moment..seeing their risen Lord lifted up into Heaven. But He sent His Messengers to gently chastise them. "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky?" (Acts 1:11a) Your lives are not over. This is not the end. Life is still going on...and you are to live it. There is reason and purpose in this life. There is good in it...good to be done...good to be experienced. There is much to learn...there is growing to do. And this is the nursery where we have been placed. This is where the seeds of who we will become have been planted...and so we must grow...we must move...we must live.

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
~ John 10:10b

The Descent of the Holy Spirit

Of course we can't do this alone. Plants can't grow without water...without sun...without roots. And so while this life is meant to be lived...we can't succeed...we can't overcome...we can't flourish without help...and specifically without His help. That is why He sent the Holy Spirit. That is why He chose to share His power with us in this way. And what power it is!

But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away ; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you....But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth ; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak ; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine ; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.
~ John 16:7,13-15

The Assumption

Mary's Assumption reassures us...reinforces our Faith. Through her we again see the Truth...we see the truth of Christ's promise that there IS life beyond this world...that there is more. In many ways she is the first of us to reach Eternity. What a beautiful love between Christ and His Mother. He preserves her...protects her...and ensures that corruption will not touch her in any way. No physical corruption...and certainly no spiritual corruption.

These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
~ Acts 1:14

The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth

If ever we doubted our value in the eyes of God, here we see The Creator make one of His creatures Queen....Queen of Heaven and of Earth. Even the angels who are greater than humans acknowledge her as their queen. Of course we are not Mary....we have not been kept pure as she...nor do any of us live in such complete cooperation with Christ as Mary did. But she is no less our model...no less our example of how to submit to God's will. And so we lift her up...and we are filled with hope. And we see God Our Father lift her up...and we are filled with greater Hope still.

A great sign appeared in heaven : a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars ; 2 and she was with child ; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth....And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron ; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God....
~ Revelations 12:1-2,5-6

And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord ; may it be done to me according to your word."
~ Luke 1:38

I am tired of sin in my life. I am tired of falling and getting back up. I am tired of failing. And so, though I know I will still sin...and still fall...and still fail...I recommit myself this day (and everyday...and every moment...hereafter) to live for God. I want to live boldly...fully...without fear...according to His will in every area of my life. This is truly my heart's cry. Help me, Father. Help me to live as You desire....help me to be who You created me to be. In Your Son's name I pray....Amen!