Saturday, July 16, 2022

The Rev. Rob Stevens

Majoring in the Minors

“Majoring in the Minors” is something that humans do extremely well. We focus on the illusion that we can control life and, in the process, sometimes we miss the point of life itself. The Gospel makes it abundantly clear that we are here to share, to love, to give, to practice and to participate as fully as possible in the gift that is life. Instead, often (especially in churches) we think we are here to control, to defend, to judge and to draw lines that keep “us” in and “them” out. I believe Jesus indeed weeps when we fall into this pattern of Majoring in the Minors.

Yet, there is hope and plenty of it. St. Francis of Assisi is attributed with the quote "Preach the Good News at all times. If necessary, use words." There is great debate now (and there always has been) concerning the nature of truth and the nature of God. While the debate may be fruitful, when we retreat into our positions on issues, we miss the point. We can talk about truth until there are no words left. We can try to boil truth down to four spiritual laws or three easy-to remember points starting with the letter ‘C,' but the important question is to what do our lives testify? Truth is not a set of words or a good idea, but a person and a relationship. Truth is not to be apprehended and explained, but loved, and we testify to our knowledge of Jesus' voice not by what statements we agree with, but by whom we love and how. Perhaps instead of urging God to speak plainly so we can figure it all out—we might take the example of Jesus’ life seriously and let our lives do the talking.

There is great humility in this posture and there is great freedom. It reminds us that our attempt to approach God is just that…an attempt. It is a thoughtful, loving, honest and prayerful attempt to be in relationship with truth…to be in relationship with God. The following prayer corrects my posture when I begin to major in the minors and my spirit begins to slough or be too boastful. It also reminds me that it is the process that I need to commit to, not the destination!

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. Amen.

- Thomas Merton, "Thoughts in Solitude"