Friday, August 8, 2025
Feast of Saint Dominic, Priest
My sisters and brothers in the Lord,
Welcome to week thirty-two of BMW, Be My Witnesses. Having spent the past two weeks in prayer, let us turn to a bit of learning. Each of us must learn to discern our calling, that is, discern God’s will for us in our life. This will have a great impact on how we are to be his witnesses.
Learn: Discern one’s calling — God’s will
Most of those listening to me have been called by God to marriage and family. So, let us focus on our daily lives and how we might conform them to God’s will. There are many rules for the discernment of God’s will, especially as found in the teachings of Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491 – 1556).
Here, let us propose something a bit simpler. Saint Teresa of Avila (1515 – 1582) starts us off: “The safest way is to want only what God wants” (Interior Castle, VI:9). And following up from our previous prayer sessions regarding God’s presence in us, she adds: “The truth is that the treasure [God] lies within our very selves” (Interior Castle, V:1).
God wants us to follow him daily. Recall what he said to the two followers of John. After John pointed to Jesus as the “Lamb of God,” Andrew and the other approached Jesus. Jesus asked them what they wanted and they gave a strange response, “Where are you staying?” To which, Jesus invited them, “Come, and you will see” (John 1:35-39). It is by being with Jesus that we will know the will of God for us this day.
There is a catch, however. We have to want to know God’s will. How often people ask us, especially when we are young, “What do you want to do with your life?” Instead, they should ask us, and we should ask ourselves, “What does God want of me?” Saint Paul tells us, “For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them” (Ephesians 2:10). God really does want something of us. We need to want that as well.
We need to look to Mary as our example. She not only said yes, “Fiat,” when the angel Gabriel presented God’s will to her regarding the incarnation of Jesus. She daily pondered all that happened around her seeking to do what the Father had in mind for her. She literally surrendered her life to God. It wasn’t all roses. But it was what made her the true handiwork of God. Saint Catherine of Siena (1347 1380) sums it up for us: “If you are what you are meant to be, you will set the whole world on fire.”
The Challenge
For this week’s challenge let us read articles #2822-2827 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It would be best to do this with your small group and have a good discussion about what you read.
Until next week, may God Bless you.
+ Earl Boyea
Bishop of Lansing
P.S. Here is a video version of this week's Be My Witnesses. Please do share with friends and family. Thank you.