The Conversion Journey - When Our Inner Light Matches The Will Of God
There are three antiphons in the Liturgy of the Hours which is prayed by every ordained Catholic clergyman several times each day.
Among the many Antiphons in the Liturgy of the Hours, these three describe to me what my habitual behavior must be if my inner light is to match the will of God.
These three antiphons are "Surrender to God, and he will do everything for you.
" "Turn away from evil, learn to do God's will, the Lord will strengthen you if you obey him.
" "Wait for the Lord to lead, then follow in his way.
" Our surrender to God must be our essential attitude because we firmly believe that our God wills nothing but good for us.
He wants us to lead an authentic life, that is, a life that is focused on being all that God has willed that we can be - the best version of ourselves - his unique design for each of us.
We foster the inner light, the inner life, by choosing an outer light - an authentic exterior life, an honest human activity like becoming a teacher, a mother a craftsman, etc.
The actual activity is less important than the transformation this activity brings about in our lives.
The effect that our work or human activity has on our inner life is more important than what we produce externally.
We need to deepen our faith, have a firm hope that God keeps his promises, and grow in our love for him every day.
These three virtues lead us to follow the way of the Beatitudes preached by Jesus, the son of God.
So, the Beatitudes are in themselves statements of God's will for each of us.
As Matt Kelly writes in Rediscovering Catholicism, if we want to find the will of God for us we just need to take God's hand, walk humbly with him, and he will lead us to where he wants us in our earth life, a place he has designed just for each of us.
If we follow him we will achieve the most fulfillment and happiness we can find in this life.
Through frequent recollection, looking at where we were in our inner life, where we are now, where we hope to be, and thoughtfully deliberately choosing what is just, true, noble, and love him with all our heart and soul we will move slowly but surely to forming the habits that will help us to become all we are meant to be.
God does not expect us to be perfect in this life, but he does expect us with his help to be continually moving in that direction.
Our inner light will perfectly match the will of God only when we have left this earth life, and see God face to face in Heaven.
Only then will the match between our inner light and the Light, God, be perfect.
Bibliography 1.
Kelly, Matthew, Rediscovering Catholicism, Beacon Publishing, Cincinnati, Ohio, 2002, page 128.
Among the many Antiphons in the Liturgy of the Hours, these three describe to me what my habitual behavior must be if my inner light is to match the will of God.
These three antiphons are "Surrender to God, and he will do everything for you.
" "Turn away from evil, learn to do God's will, the Lord will strengthen you if you obey him.
" "Wait for the Lord to lead, then follow in his way.
" Our surrender to God must be our essential attitude because we firmly believe that our God wills nothing but good for us.
He wants us to lead an authentic life, that is, a life that is focused on being all that God has willed that we can be - the best version of ourselves - his unique design for each of us.
We foster the inner light, the inner life, by choosing an outer light - an authentic exterior life, an honest human activity like becoming a teacher, a mother a craftsman, etc.
The actual activity is less important than the transformation this activity brings about in our lives.
The effect that our work or human activity has on our inner life is more important than what we produce externally.
We need to deepen our faith, have a firm hope that God keeps his promises, and grow in our love for him every day.
These three virtues lead us to follow the way of the Beatitudes preached by Jesus, the son of God.
So, the Beatitudes are in themselves statements of God's will for each of us.
As Matt Kelly writes in Rediscovering Catholicism, if we want to find the will of God for us we just need to take God's hand, walk humbly with him, and he will lead us to where he wants us in our earth life, a place he has designed just for each of us.
If we follow him we will achieve the most fulfillment and happiness we can find in this life.
Through frequent recollection, looking at where we were in our inner life, where we are now, where we hope to be, and thoughtfully deliberately choosing what is just, true, noble, and love him with all our heart and soul we will move slowly but surely to forming the habits that will help us to become all we are meant to be.
God does not expect us to be perfect in this life, but he does expect us with his help to be continually moving in that direction.
Our inner light will perfectly match the will of God only when we have left this earth life, and see God face to face in Heaven.
Only then will the match between our inner light and the Light, God, be perfect.
Bibliography 1.
Kelly, Matthew, Rediscovering Catholicism, Beacon Publishing, Cincinnati, Ohio, 2002, page 128.
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