Welcome.
I am Fr.
Koral Pit van Gidden from the White-rope Monks of St.
Benedict in South Africa.
We bring you today's homily from the Chapel of St.
Luke in Johannesburg.
I really hope you enjoy the next couple of minutes that we get to share together in the presence of the Spirit.
Here am I,
Lord.
I've come to do your will.
Here am I,
Lord.
In your presence I am still.
This prayer comes from the Northumbria community in the Celtic Daily Prayer Book.
And it is a beautiful prayer.
It is a prayer that reminds us that we are here for a reason.
Our birth was not just by chance.
And we can fulfil our destiny if we were to call it that,
Our calling,
Our life purpose.
Only by doing away with the outer.
Only by letting go of our preconceived ideas of what the world expects of me.
Because many a time what the world expects is far from what God wants.
And I talk about this often,
Becoming still,
To listen for the voice of God.
There are many ways that we can do that.
One of the Christian ways that is gaining popularity is that of contemplative prayer.
In Zen Buddhism there is only just sit.
And there are many different expressions and many different approaches to a form of meditation that quietens the mind.
That opens up a channel or a trap so that we can receive and catch what God wants in our lives.
It's often times not what we want or what we expect it to be.
If I take a look back at my life,
I am far from where I thought I would be growing up as a child.
Growing up I wanted the stage,
I wanted music,
I wanted to perform.
And the option was there.
Yet God chose to take me along another way.
And the fascinating thing is the music is there.
I get to work with the most wonderful lyricists and singers and artists from across the globe in the context of helping people,
In the context of trying to make their lives just a little bit easier or other people's lives,
The people who hear our music,
To make their lives easier to try and through sound connect people with God.
And that's something that is quite important for me to have learnt.
God doesn't always just say no.
But perhaps the answer is not in this way.
I have something else planned for you.
And often times also then we sit and we wonder so then where is our free will?
It's always there.
You can choose to live in discord with your life purpose.
It is very possible to do.
And you might even be happy doing so.
You might even feel fulfilled.
And then that is okay.
For me,
Once God started in showing me the way that my life is supposed to be,
I couldn't help but to follow that.
Thinking back now,
I often times wonder how did I end up with the white-robed monks of Saint Benedict?
How did I,
A sinner,
Somebody who is not virtuous at all,
How did I become a priest?
Why did God choose me?
Interesting thing with that,
The answer came a while ago in that God said maybe I have enough learned people.
Maybe I have enough people who went to a traditional seminary and became clergy in that way.
Maybe I wanted somebody who lived in the world,
Who is close to sinners,
Who is part of that community.
And I'm not saying that people who go to seminary and who are straight out of school go and become clergy,
That they are not amongst sinners.
We all are that.
Yet it is slightly different for me being able to come from a layman's point of view and only at a later age answer the call to become clergy.
And I can relate to some people and that is God's way for me.
God's way for you might be completely different and that is beautiful.
The thing for me is that it is just important that we realise that there is a journey,
There is a plan,
There is a wish that God has for every one of our lives.
And it is beautiful and it is harmony.
It doesn't say it is going to be easy or smooth sailing at all.
But it is in the end so worth it.
So I am going to ask everybody to just think about what your journey is.
Think about what God wants for you in your life.
And then if you don't know,
Maybe also repeat this beautiful prayer.
Here am I Lord,
I have come to do your will.
Here am I Lord,
In your presence I am still.
Amen.
God bless you.
