Comments on: Whose Will? http://snoringscholar.com/2009/11/whose-will/ just another day of Catholic pondering by Sarah Reinhard Wed, 23 May 2012 01:27:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Literacy-chic http://snoringscholar.com/2009/11/whose-will/comment-page-1/#comment-2692 Literacy-chic Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:02:23 +0000 http://snoringscholar.com/?p=4165#comment-2692 Interesting, and spoken like a true ascetic. However, God gives us a will to life, also. I think that praying to St. Joseph for a happy death isn't incompatible with clinging tenaciously to life. How would one discern God's will in cases of life and death? The diagnosis of a terminal illness can be taken as a death sentence, but wouldn't it be sinful to abandon oneself to death, assuming that death was God's will? And yet, people with terminal illnesses can be such examples of strength and give hope and joy to others. We have free will in order to be free to choose God, but it is also the feature that makes us fully human. The context of the quote is life and death, but we struggle with the question of God's will vs. our will in everyday life, knowing that in this life we will never know God's will with absolute certainty. So perhaps it is the process of acknowledging God in our endeavors that is of value in itself--asking the question, and resolving to try to achieve a purpose that seems to be in line with our beliefs in God. It is an ongoing discernment process, but as Catholics, we see faith as a journey, not something that is static. So the questioning and self-development is the important part, and not perhaps doing this or that *exact* thing that we're supposed to be doing at a particular moment. Interesting, and spoken like a true ascetic. However, God gives us a will to life, also. I think that praying to St. Joseph for a happy death isn’t incompatible with clinging tenaciously to life. How would one discern God’s will in cases of life and death? The diagnosis of a terminal illness can be taken as a death sentence, but wouldn’t it be sinful to abandon oneself to death, assuming that death was God’s will? And yet, people with terminal illnesses can be such examples of strength and give hope and joy to others. We have free will in order to be free to choose God, but it is also the feature that makes us fully human.

The context of the quote is life and death, but we struggle with the question of God’s will vs. our will in everyday life, knowing that in this life we will never know God’s will with absolute certainty. So perhaps it is the process of acknowledging God in our endeavors that is of value in itself–asking the question, and resolving to try to achieve a purpose that seems to be in line with our beliefs in God. It is an ongoing discernment process, but as Catholics, we see faith as a journey, not something that is static. So the questioning and self-development is the important part, and not perhaps doing this or that *exact* thing that we’re supposed to be doing at a particular moment.

]]> By: Jennifer D. http://snoringscholar.com/2009/11/whose-will/comment-page-1/#comment-2691 Jennifer D. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:59:27 +0000 http://snoringscholar.com/?p=4165#comment-2691 This is so very timely, indeed. A friend and I were discussing God's will just last night. This is so very timely, indeed. A friend and I were discussing God’s will just last night.

]]> By: Vicki http://snoringscholar.com/2009/11/whose-will/comment-page-1/#comment-2688 Vicki Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:34:22 +0000 http://snoringscholar.com/?p=4165#comment-2688 What a fitting reminder, especially as we enter this time of Advent, a time of reflection and giving. What a fitting reminder, especially as we enter this time of Advent, a time of reflection and giving.

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