PROPHETIC ROAD SIGNS

PROPHETIC ROAD SIGNS

December 2021

Has the Lord ever spoken to you through a road sign? I think that has happened to me.

Once I was tempted to compare my ministry with some other people in ministry, wondering why mine didn't have the same scope and effectiveness that theirs did. (Not my finest moment, I admit!) I was thinking about this while driving across the Causeway Bridge - 24 miles over Lake Pontchartrain. There are road signs galore, but I kept noticing one in particular: "STAY IN YOUR LANE." Then it hit me - the Lord was saying that to me about the question I was pondering. In other words, "Drive where I have placed you and don't worry about what I've given others to do!" 

I was also thinking about God speaking through the frequent YIELD signs we encounter on the road. Applying it to us spiritually, it seems to me that the Lord calls us to yield in at least three main ways: 1) yield to God's love; 2) yield to God's will; 3) yield to God's plan.

YIELD TO GOD'S LOVE

The two most important facts for us to know and to believe, it seems to me, are these: 1) God is love and 2) God loves me. Unfortunately, it also seems that it's frequently very difficult for us to grasp these facts in a personal way. So, the first grace we need is that of yielding to God's love. Our Lady did not understand why she was specially chosen and highly favored by God - but she simply yielded to God's love: "He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name."

YIELD TO GOD'S WILL

After yielding to God's love, we need to yield to God's will. As we see so often in John's gospel, Jesus was utterly committed to doing the will of the Father. This has to be our priority also, imitating Mary who said: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word."

YIELD TO GOD'S PLAN

Sometimes - perhaps quite often - things don't go as we would wish. We meet with various difficulties, setbacks, even tragedies. We are tempted to ask, "Why, God?" We need the grace of yielding to God's plan, remembering that God's plan for Jesus included his passion and redemptive death on the cross, followed by his glorious resurrection and ascension. Mary too, Our Lady of Sorrows, was associated with Jesus in his sufferings. In our times of trial and adversity, our prayer has to be: "Abba, Father! All things are possible to you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not my will, but your will be done." We yield to the Lord's plan, while praising and thanking him (cf. Rom. 8:28; 1 Thess. 5:16-18).

CHRISTMAS GRACES

Have you made your list of gifts to ask the Lord for this Christmas? We celebrate this Christmas after a couple of very difficult years with COVID and, in our area, hurricane damages. We are much in need of the Lord's graces and gifts! Let us ask the Lord this year for the grace of  yielding - to his love, to his will, and to his plan - all through the intercession of Our Lady.

Have a blessed Christmas!