"When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.
All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people
one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats...
Then the king will say to those at his right hand,
'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you...'
Then he will say to those at his left hand,
'You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil...
for I was hungry and you gave me no food,
I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,
I was a stranger and you did not welcome me,
naked and you did not give me clothing,
sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'
Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you
hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison,
and did not take care of you?'
Then he will answer them,
'Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it
to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'
And these will go away into eternal punishment,
but the righteous into eternal life."
- from Matthew 25, NRSV
While I was away on my silent retreat, I had time to pray, read, reflect, and listen. I listened to my own questions and wondered what God thought about them. (Does God think I ask too many questions, as some people accuse me of doing?) Were they appropriate? Was I even worthy to ask these questions of my Heavenly Father? Were they timely? Were they my questions to be asked or did they belong to someone else's path to walk and not my own? Were they humble or prideful? Would God actually answer my questions during my days away?
The answer to the last question is "Yes." God did answer my prayers, my questions. I didn't hear God speak to me in words or in visions, like the mystics such as St. Teresa of Calcutta or St. Faustina. But I went to a Franciscan friar, a former pastor, for spiritual direction and came away with confirmation in what and where my path is that lies before me.
I am letting go of my spiritual direction ministry in order to devote more of my heart, mind, and time to an organization that I cofounded and direct - Catholics for Abolition in North Carolina. For almost a year and a half, I've given countless hours to getting this anti-death penalty (or pro-culture of life) grassroots organization up and running. It's been a labor of love! As I was told in spiritual direction during my retreat, this work is my call. That's what makes an opportunity a calling - when one cannot not say "Yes!" And especially when it comes unexpectedly. I guess I did indeed receive a Call.
This blog has been about prayer and about what I've learned along my spiritual path and its content has also been inspired by the journeys of those I've accompanied as a spiritual director. But even as I leave this ministry, I am still a spiritual director at heart, I guess you could say. I intend to keep writing and posting here - probably more often than I have in the last year - as I will have a bit more time to devote to it. And the purpose for my writing will remain the same: Simply Making God a Part of your Everyday Life.
If you found my blog several years ago or in July 2023, I hope you will stay with me as its focus shifts - but only slightly. With God's grace, its focus will be how to live out the Gospel message, of loving God, while serving my neighbor - in prison and on death row - with the "least of these" so often forgotten.
Lord, Jesus, help me to be one of your sheep and not a goat.
Show me how to let your rod and your staff lead me.
Light my path with your grace and give me the love I need so
I can serve You in the "least of these,"
your children and my neighbors.
Amen.
💙
