Commentary on the Gospel of
Baptism makes us part of the family of God, brothers and sister of Jesus Christ and of each other. The grace of baptism helps us to pattern our lives after Jesus, following the path he laid out for us. The hallmark of Jesus’ earthly ministry is that he conformed his will to the will of his Father in heaven.
As his brothers and sisters, we need to conform our will to the will of the Father as well. But how can we know the Father’s will for us? The Spirit brings us the gift of discernment. We listen in the depths of our hearts for the still small voice of God. We purge from our hearts the sin and selfishness that can cloud our ability to listen. All discernment happens in the context of prayer and reflection. We might seek the help of a trusted spiritual advisor who can help us to cut through the noise and distraction. Then, once we have discerned God’s will, we beg for God’s grace to have the strength and the courage to pursue it.
