The Power Of Choice
Lynne Elwinger, O.C.D.
Once again the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel approaches, and I find myself deeply drawn into my own experience of Mary’s presence companioning and inspiring my Carmelite journey. The profound impact of her example, I have discovered, can be summed up in one short heading – her choices.
From her first “yes” to the work God desired to do within her, and presumably even before that, to the end of her life, Mary was absolutely faithful to her primary choice – a radical openness to the love of God and to doing whatever God required of her. She seems to have sought the One who was also seeking her, free of concern for herself and her own agendas. Thus she was able to achieve an unfettered intimacy with her God, who invited her into ever-deepening relationship. As a result, she was able to gift the world with the abundant fruit of that union. God is also always seeking relationship with us, and Mary can be a beacon lighting our path as we search out ways to respond.
Small Choices Shape Our Lives
My reflection on Mary’s choices led me to a consideration of the power of choice itself, which is the result of the Divine gift of free will. In the end, our many seemingly small choices shape and mold our lives. I soon was standing in awe of the magnitude of the influence of this power of choice in our individual and communal lives. Our greatest personal freedom lies in our ability to exercise this power of choice, at once a great gift and a huge responsibility. The fabric of our lives is woven of the strands made from our many choices over the years.
Faced as we are these days, with overwhelming situations in the world, our nation, our Church, and our families, we can find ourselves feeling helpless and discouraged. Yet we carry within us, often without being aware of it, a potent tool to aid us in navigating these uncertain times. This tool is our power of choice and the effects these choices have on our personal lives and on our world.
God is always coming to us, is always seeking us, and we carry within us from birth a Divine seed or spark. Our task is to nurture this seed toward sprouting and growth, to fan the spark into a living flame. Whether or not this happens and how it comes about is largely up to us. The whole universe will come to our aid if we choose to respond to God’s invitation. But we ourselves have to first make that choice. No one else can do it for us. It doesn’t matter if we are rich or poor, old or young, male or female, or of any particular ethnic group, family of origin, religion, or life circumstance. In every instance, we have the gift and we have the opportunity to use it in one way or another. It is what we do with our hearts that makes all the difference.
God Knocks, We Choose
All choices have natural consequences. Each day, however, we are given a new chance to choose. If we didn’t like the results of prior choices, we are free to try a different choice in this new day. The journey of the spirit into the heart of God is always beginning afresh. It basically comes down to God’s invitation and our response. Our gift of free will comes with an RSVP attached. God is waiting to hear from us.
There is a Spanish proverb that reminds us that the heart’s door can only be opened from the inside. God knocks and we choose whether or not to open the door. If we choose not to open it, our choice is respected. Thankfully, however, God keeps knocking. We always get another opportunity to choose again.
Small daily choices pave the way to the sanctuary within, where the inner life is nourished. Nothing fancy is required, but we do have to make space, and make a bit of time in our busy daily round for this encounter. Then we just have to show up, sit down, and be present to the One who has called. We will discover, perhaps to our surprise, that we have a Divine Companion who has been with us all along, and who will accompany us until the end of our lives. As we give time daily to getting to know God in this way, we also get to know new aspects of ourselves. A different dimension of life comes to the fore when we keep appearing, humbly empty of personal agenda, radically open, to be with the One who faithfully befriends us. God is always seeking connection with us. If we can be open and surrendered to the Holy Mystery working in and through us for the world, then we can say with Mary, “be it done to me
according to Your will”.
Our own inner emptiness acts like a magnet for God’s presence flowing in, as low places along the banks attract a river’s waters as they pass by. This inflowing Presence brings an incomparable sense of peace, acceptance, and freedom. The questions we have to ask ourselves are these: what do we seek in life? For what do we long? Have we found it anywhere else?
Acknowledging and embracing the Divine Presence within and among us is our true life’s work. As we “ponder things in our hearts”, we give God a chance to be part of the dialogue.
Whatever God Asks
Although Mary was immersed in all the ordinary tasks of life, her orientation toward the things of God enabled her to give her world-changing “yes” whenever she was confronted with the need to choose. Be forewarned that God’s call can come at inconvenient times, in unexpected ways not of our choosing, and sometimes asking difficult things of us. Let us pray then for the humble, open heart of Mary in our responding, and remember that whatever God asks of us, the grace necessary for us to fulfill the request will be provided. Then all that remains is for us to lift up our hearts in thanksgiving.
One prayer at a time, contemplatives
allow the Heart of God to beat in the heart they call their own.
S. Joan Chittister, O.S.B.
Sr. Lynne Thérèse Elwinger of the Resurrection O.C.D.