Jesus, how can I serve you best?

In this meditation today, my Lord, I would like so very much for you to tell me what you want me to do with the rest of my life. In what way can I serve you best? Will you please stir my thoughts and direct them into the channels you want them to follow. I must assume that since I am firmly established in this Franciscan role of instructing others in the Franciscan way, which is your way, that that is the mainstream into which I must channel the most important part of my life — this role of going all out to bring you to the members of my fraternity — and, in fact, to others where possible — as a LIVING, BREATHING PRESENCE — A REALITY in their daily lives, as you have grown to be so joyfully in mine.

    It is such a privilege to work with you on this because, through it, I have grown to know you better, the beautiful, overall WONDER of you as my close companion.

    I have now the responsibility of younger people and it is so very important. I ask your help in making them aware of the vastness, the desirability of the Gospel message, of being in my small way the instrument of helping to bring, as our new rule says, gospel to their lives and their lives to the Gospel.

    What should I tell them, Jesus? Should I try, with your help, to make them come to an understanding of the great virtue of chastity?

    Will you help me to make them understand that Franciscan young men and women and even the more mature should be models of chastity?
    They should be fully aware that sex is not love. Sex is God's great gift to marital love, the beautiful creative love that flowers into a Christian family unit, where children are taught God's love from infancy. May we hope the Christ-like virtues of poverty — poverty of spirit, practical poverty and chastity and obedience to God's commands prevail?

    Many beautiful qualities grow out of prayer. Prayer creates the depth of spiritual love from which radiates all true love, trust, gentleness, kindness, tolerance, mutual respect, understanding, patience, readiness to listen, readiness to forgive, readiness to ask forgiveness, humility and service. This fosters the sharing of self, thoughts, hopes, possessions, and the readiness to communicate and the openness to suggestion in a family unit in which each member is recognized as an important element.

    We could go on and on, but this much should be enough to stir up thoughts in the right direction. This is so important to the growth and development of the whole person into an intelligent, responsible, sacrificial, loving and mature individual.