Choice Matters

The texts in the Roman Catholic Lectionary for the second day of Lent are invitations to consider the role of choice in our spiritual journey. The paradox of the coexistence of choice and obedience is a tension which requires us to continue to explore this condition of existence. The exhortation of Moses to choose life in the Book of Deuteronomy can be erroneously reduced to the blind following of many laws and religious practices. The psalmist observes the life which is witnessed in the person who makes some choices about how to move through the events of the day. The method of meditation and avoiding situations which produce vexation for the spirit are ongoing choices which are made in communion with the indwelling Spirit or the law that is written on the heart of humanity. The fruit of these choices is peace and joy. The Gospel of Luke points to the choices which are made daily by the faithful to follow the Way of Jesus. The tension between the compassion, joy, peace and attractiveness experienced in this intimacy with the Divine and the acceptance and understanding that the choice is away from self aggrandizement and “my choices” to unity with His Will. This is not the path of the secular society and will likely present internal and external challenges to this “radical choice”.