Episode 2742: Trusting God’s Call - Nightly Episode

“O my God, at the end of this day I thank You most heartily for all the graces I have received from You. I am sorry that I have not made better use of them. I am sorry for all the sins I have committed against You. Forgive me, O my God, and graciously protect me this night. Blessed Virgin Mary, my dear heavenly mother, take me under your protection. St. Joseph, my dear Guardian Angel, and all you saints of God, pray for me. Sweet Jesus, have pity on all poor sinners, and save them from hell. Have mercy on the suffering souls in purgatory. Amen.”
Happy New Years Eve!
I have to apologize for posting an episode on the 1st session of the “Word Made Flesh” before I actually delivered it tomorrow but I wanted to share it with someone for review purposes and the only way was to publish it. So once reviewed and criqued before tomorrow I took it down. What is interesting is even though I wrote extensively I free fall so much that it is never exactly the same and the final presentation will probably be different as well.
But I hope you all join in tomorrow at 2 pm CST and 3 pm EST via zoom and ask questions either vocally or through an IM chat.
Time is getting close to “Word Made Flesh” I’ll put the registration link in the show notes.
https://forms.gle/tuzqrhTXTZQuf7VH9

If you can’t make it in person you can join via zoom. Please attend. I promise it will help you focus during the Advent season and make Christ the reason for the Season.

Trusting God’s Call and Living in the Present Moment
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Tonight, we’ll explore how God calls us individually, much like Simon Peter was called to meet the Messiah, and how we are to respond with trust and simplicity. Using the Gospel of John and the wisdom of a Carthusian monk, we’ll reflect on living in the grace of the moment and surrendering to God’s will without anxiety or resistance.
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1. Finding the Messiah: Our Call to Encounter Christ
The Gospel of John captures a pivotal moment in salvation history:
“He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah.’” (John 1:41)
Imagine Simon Peter’s life before this moment an ordinary fisherman, likely consumed by the concerns of daily survival. Yet, through the testimony of his brother Andrew, Peter is introduced to Christ and begins a journey that will transform not only his life but the entire Church.
This encounter reminds us that God calls each of us personally. Like Peter, we may not understand the fullness of what He has planned, but our first step is to respond to the invitation.
The Church teaches that every vocation whether to the priesthood, religious life, marriage, or single life begins with an encounter with Christ. This encounter may happen through Scripture, prayer, or the witness of another, as it did for Peter.
Reflection Question:
Have you allowed Christ to find you in the midst of your ordinary life, and are you willing to follow where He leads?
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2. Living in the Present Moment
Once we respond to Christ’s call, the journey unfolds moment by moment. The wisdom of the anonymous Carthusian monk offers us a powerful guide:
“Perform, at every instant, the will of God, with the strength and the grace of the moment. Nothing more is demanded of you. Cordially accept your limitations.”
This advice challenges modern tendencies toward anxiety and overplanning. Too often, we burden ourselves with worries about the future or regrets about the past. Yet God does not ask us to carry such a load. He provides grace sufficient for the present moment.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux, another master of the spiritual life, echoed this sentiment with her "little way." She taught that holiness consists in doing small things with great love and trust, focusing on the here and now.
The Carthusian monk continues:
“To what degree of sanctity does God want to bring you? You will only know this in Heaven. Do not ponder mysterious designs...Tend toward pleasing Him according to your present ability and let yourself be led where He wills.”
In other words, sanctity is not about achieving some visible milestone but about trusting in God’s plan and following Him one step at a time.
Reflection Question:
Are you surrendering to God’s will in the present moment, or are you resisting His grace by dwelling on the past or worrying about the future?
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3. Practical Steps to Respond to God’s Call
• Daily Prayer: Begin each day with a simple prayer of surrender, asking God for the grace to do His will.
• Examine Your Heart: Reflect on your actions at the end of each day, asking, “Did I trust in God’s grace today?”
• Seek God in the Ordinary: Remember that your path to holiness is found in the tasks and relationships of your daily life.
By following these steps, we imitate Peter’s willingness to drop his nets and follow Christ and the Carthusian monk’s call to live in the present moment.
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Conclusion Prayer
Heavenly Father,
You have called us to encounter Your Son, our Messiah, and to follow Him with trust and simplicity. Grant us the grace to live each moment in Your will, without anxiety or resistance. Teach us to accept our limitations with humility and to trust in the sufficiency of Your grace.
Help us to imitate St. Peter in his readiness to leave behind all that was familiar and to walk the path You had prepared for him. May we, like the saints, surrender our plans and desires to Your perfect designs, knowing that You will lead us to sanctity according to Your will.
Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who perfectly lived each moment in surrender to Your will, we ask for the grace to follow her example. We pray this through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
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Thank you for joining tonight. May this reflection inspire you to trust God’s call in your life and to live each moment in His grace. Until next time, may God bless you and keep you close to His heart.