Tenison Woods and MacKillop Centre News: What it is that God wants..

Think of God’s mercy, my brothers, and worship him, I beg you, in a way that is worthy of thinking beings, by offering your living bodies as a holy sacrifice, truly pleasing to God. Do not model yourselves on the behaviour of the world around you, but let your behaviour change, modelled by your new mind. This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do.

Romans 12:1 – 2

Crikey. What is the perfect thing to do? It would be interesting to have a flow chart or a checklist to ensure that at all times, in all situations, we did the perfect thing. The tumultuousness of adolescence would dissipate, our homes, schools and workplaces would all be places of peace and tranquility. Indeed, in such a world there would only be accidents - where events happen only by chance without apparent or deliberate cause. Yet part of being human means that we sometimes choose - not necessarily the wrong thing – but the easier path. It may still produce good, but would it be ‘what it is that God wants’?

Yet it is precisely that easier path that Paul is challenging us to avoid, for the easier option is, according to Paul, modelled on the world around us, and we are called to model ourselves on our new minds. It is accomplished by discernment.

Catholic Bogger Mary Jane Fox suggests that there are seven practical principles for discerning God’s will in our lives:

· Love God – put God first in your life, trust him, believe!
· Listen to the Holy Spirit – be open the Spirit’s guidance, be available.
· Get rid of obstacles – get rid of your unrepented sins
· Get rid of unforgiveness – forgive others, let our grudges go.
· Make it a habit – make choosing good a habit and cultivate it.
· Be prudent – we must use our reason, intelligence and practical wisdom.
· Listen when you pray – don’t do all the talking. LISTEN!

Needless to say even with these clear principles we may not reach the heart and mind of God, but we would certainly be on the right track. But if you could, this discernment itself would be utterly and totally transformative, and in the end, this is what we are indeed looking for.

Peter

Peter's whereabouts for the next 2 weeks

Meetings coming up

Please forward any agenda items for meetings (with some indication of time required and context) to Carole at carole.goodwin@catholic.tas.edu.au

Education – a Cognitive/Affective/Social nexus rather than linear models for development

Below is an excerpt from one of the readings for Graduate Certificate in Theology. Titled Ramifications of the New Values Education for Teacher Education by Terry Lovat, R Toomey, N Clement, R Crotty, and T Nielsen (2009, p. 15). It has interesting implications for challenging our current beliefs about how human beings learn… Do we value thinking above feelings and social interactions?

What do you think? I would be interested in your reflections and insights – let’s start a conversation!

Thanks, Bobbi-Jo