Discernment as a Tool for Faithful Living - October 9
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 119:145-176; PM Psalm 128, 129, 130; Micah 2:1-13; Acts 23:23-35; Luke 7:18-35
‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’
There are few songs that have made such an impression on me as Naïve Melody (This Must Be the Place) by the Talking Heads. The iconic Prophet 6 synth sounds (something I have been unable to replicate without the right equipment in my years of playing music), the incredible melody and nostalgic bassline, and the emotionally charged and striking lyrics written by David Byrne make for one of my all-time favorite songs. I continue to come back to listen week after week for years. The Los Angeles Times’s Richard Cromelin, called it “one of the most luminous love songs rock has produced.”
Byrne begins the song “Home is where I want to be. Pick me up and turn me round. I feel numb, born with a weak heart, I guess I must be having fun.” Later the line on home changes when Byrne sings, “Home is where I want to be, But I guess I'm already there. I come home, she lifted up her wings, I guess that this must be the place.” It sounds to me like Byrne is beginning to embrace what is in front of him after years of searching, although it’s clear that there is still some doubt that this is all it is cracked up to be.
There is something brutally honest, not just about love, but life and meaning and purpose in this song, that we have to awaken to what is before us, to see it with fresh eyes, and we still may question if it is truly the home (life) we are called to inhabit. Part of being spiritual people trying to discern how to faithfully live is to ask the question, “am I fully living the life God has called me to live?” It’s not just a question for clergy, but a question for anyone who wants to be faithful and use their gifts to be a part of the building of the kingdom of God. “I guess that this must be the place,” we say, hoping that we have arrived at our life faithfully. And if I am honest, probably most of us have some doubts some of the time.
In today’s Gospel, a few of the disciples of John of the Baptist encounter Jesus, arguably for the first time. They ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another.” They too are discerning how to live a faithful life. They are coming to the conclusion that their formation up unto this point hasn’t led them to a full and complete life. John the Baptist has only prepared the way, but there is someone greater who is to change their life.
How do we trust in God that we are living our lives? How do we discern what God is calling us into? What could be a next step in growing in our faith? Is it a Bible study, spiritual direction, a series of classes, serving in a ministry, or maybe exploring how we live, share, or make decisions? Perhaps home is the journey in itself? The better question is how do we faithfully discern our lives.
John+
Questions for Self-Reflection: Consider the questions in the reflection around discernment. What role does discernment play in your life?