...Thy Will Be Done...

So, as I mentioned before, I have begun to call this past summer the "Summer of Surrender" in my life. To elaborate more on this subject, I would like to take a look at The Lord's Prayer. I do not remember the exact time this hit me, but I remember it was sometime this summer during Mass as the congregation prayed the Lord's prayer. I, like many Catholics who attended Catholic schooling, can sometimes fall into the trap of just going through the motions. For example, you recite the same prayers every day in the same class at the same time. Sooner or later, you find yourself saying the words, rather than praying them. I think this is what had happened to me for a while with the Lord's prayer, because one day during the mass the words "Thy will be done" suddenly hit me in a profound way.

Now I'm the type of guy who is very task-orientated, so my life is made up of schedules, deadlines, and having everything planned out. Bascially, I am in control of what's happening in my life. Now that type of lifestyle is okay until it conflicts with God's plan for our life. In a talk from Theology of the Body speaker Christopher West, West states that God places commandments in our lives to lead us to happiness, to allow us to discern God's plan for our lives. However, many of us feel the effects of original sin, which is a fundamental distrust of God. We think that God's plan will make us miserable, and seek happiness on our own terms, not God's. I too found that I was willing to accept God's plan for my life as long as it fit along with the plans I had already made, and on my time. I realized that I needed to allow God to open my eyes to His plan for my life on His time, not my own.

This idea was further driven home to me on TEC 124, where the theme for the weekend was Surrender, and the song was "I'm Letting Go" by Francesca Bastelli.

My heart beats, standing on the edge

But my feet have finally left the ledge
Like an acrobat
There’s no turning back

Chorus

I’m letting go
Of the life I planned for me
And my dreams
Losing control
Of my destiny
Feels like I’m falling and that’s what it’s like to believe
So I’m letting go

This is a giant leap of faith
Trusting and trying to embrace
The fear of the unknown
Beyond my comfort zone

Chorus

I’m letting go
Of the life I planned for me
And my dreams
Losing control
Of my destiny
Feels like I’m falling and that’s what it’s like to believe
So I’m letting go

Giving in to your gravity
Knowing You are holding me
I’m not afraid
Feels like I’m falling and that’s what it’s like to believe
Feels like I’m falling and this is the life for me