Lent, Day Seven, First Tuesday of Lent

Lent, Day Seven, First Tuesday of Lent
This morning during my hour of prayer, I tried to come to some level of abandonment to my heavenly Father. It was a hard struggle since so much in me wants to do my will, realize my plans, organize my future, and make my decisions. Still I know that true joy comes from letting God love me the way God wants whether it is through illness or health, failure or success, poverty or wealth, rejection or praise. It is hard for me to day, "I shall gratefully accept everything, Lord, that pleases you. Let your will be done." But I know that when I truely believe my Father is pure love, it will become increasingly possible to say these words from the heart.

Henri J.M. Nouwen
The Road to Daybreak: A Spiritual Journey, pg 14

Scripture:
⁷ Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard.
¹⁵ Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father^[a] is not in them. ¹⁶ For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. ¹⁷ The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 2:7, 15-17

 

PRAYER
Henri Nouwen often said this prayer written by Charles
de Foucauld:

I abandon myself into your hands;
do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you;
I am ready for all, I accept all.
Let only your will be done in me
and in all your creatures.
I wish no more than this, 0 Lord.
Into your hands I commend my soul;
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord,
and so need to give myself into your hands,
without reserve and with boundless confidence.
For you are my Father. Amen. 

LENTEN ACTION
Instead of refusing to accept God's will, especially when it is harsh, say,«Thy will be done!" Give yourself over to unbounded acceptance of the plan that has been mapped out for you by God.