The spirit in which you approach God makes a big difference in how God
answers. In the gospels you can see that Jesus answers people according to
their needs. To some people He gave miracles, to others He spoke words, and
to others He gave harsh rebukes. But in His love for them, He gave to all
of them what He knew they needed the most. This is real love.
For some examples of how Jesus caters His love to the individual personalities, take a look at how He throws the moneychangers out of the temple (Jn 2:15), or hear His strong words against the Pharisees (Mt 23:13).
Jesus is not doing these things because He’s lost his temper. He’s acting out of love. Other means of help would be useless and so it’s necessary to resort to strong medicine to help them.
There are even instances in Scripture when Jesus is asked by others for answers or favors and Jesus’ response is silence. And He is silent to their requests for important reasons. Let’s look at some of these instances:
When Jesus meets Herod He refuses to answer Herod’s requests in any way. “And Herod seeing Jesus, was very glad; for he was desirous for a long time to see Him. Because he had heard many things of Him; and he hoped to see some sign performed by Him. And he questioned Him in many words. But He answered him nothing” (Lk 23: 8-9). However, a passage in Scripture which is even more revealing is when some of the Pharisees challenge His authority.
One day they launched out to lay a public trap for Him, intending to discredit Jesus publicly: “And they said to Him: By what authority does Thou do these things? And who has given Thee this authority that Thou shouldst do these things? And Jesus answering, said to them: I will also ask you one word, and you answer me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, was it from heaven or from men? Answer me. But they thought within themselves, saying: If we say, from heaven, He will say, why did you not believe him then? If we say, from men, we fear the people. For all the men counted John as a prophet. And they answered, saying to Jesus: We do not know. And Jesus answered, saying to them: Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these thngs. (Mt 11:28-33).
Perhaps you find that God is silent to your prayers. Maybe it appears that God doesn’t offer you the guidance or direction you need. But the lack is not on God’s side, it’s on yours. There’s always a beautiful purpose to the struggle you experience in discerning and following your vocation. God desires that you embrace your vocation. Trust Him; he’s doing what is best for you.
It may be that you need more maturity and openness to find your vocation. It’s possible that God is giving you the answer already but you are looking for another answer. It could be that God is testing you. In the end, you can be assured that whatever your difficulties are in trying to follow your vocation, they are going to benefit you when you accept them as opportunities to grow and learn.
In prayer, a person’s requests to God must be sincere and open. God loves candid openness and rewards those who are really seeking His will and not their own advantage. God cannot be tricked or trapped. Sometimes we deceive ourselves—asking God for what we are not willing to accept. We pray, “help me do Your Will alone”; then we do not accept what we do not like from God, and we end up doing our own wills. So be careful in this because the insincere cannot understand the Will of God. Do not pray with a portion of your heart held back and closed to whatever God should ask of you.
Imitate Mary in her prayer. She secluded herself to give herself to God in privacy. “When you pray, go into your room and closing your door, pray to your Father in secret…” (Mt 6:6). Her prayer was open and detached from
her own will: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to your word”(Lk 1:38). Mary did not cling to her own agenda. Her prayer was genuine. In an instant she was willing to abandon all to follow the voice of God, whatever it might be. Tradition tells us that Mary had a vow of virginity and that’s why she said, “How shall this happen, since I do not know man?” (Lk 1:34). But Mary was willing to replace her own way of serving God with God’s way. She did this absolutely and instantly because her heart was open to God’s requests.
I pray that God will Bless all of you in this brand new year of Our Lord, 2003 and you are always remembered in my Masses and prayers.
Fr. Sullivan, M.J., is a priest with the Miles Jesu order. Miles Jesu is an Institute of Consecrated Life dedicated to promoting reverence to the Blessed Sacrament, devotion to Our Lady and faithfulness to the official teachings of the Church. For information on Miles Jesu and its Seminary Program, please call 1-800-654-7945 or visit their website at www.MilesJesu.com.
