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| Brian Cundall, Diocese of Little Rock |
This week, I had 3 seminarians with me. One, Brian Cundall, a recent graduate of Catholic High School for Boys in Little Rock, is slated to study at UD at Holy Trinity Seminary this next semester. Brian had gone to Catholic School all his life. The idea about being a priest was always before him. But he didn't really consider it until Junior Year of high school, when Patrick Friend (current seminarian), Brian's chemistry teacher started talking about it. Something started stirring in his heart. Unknowingly, Patrick said one day "I think you have a vocation." But he put it on the back burner.
He was captain of Catholic's football team, and had other priorities. After Christmas this past year, Brian went to the Diocese of Little Rock's "Come and See" retreat. However, he came away certain that he was called to marriage! He started looking for signs to confirm this decision. But they were ambiguous. As soon as he was set on marriage, he'd receive a sign that he was supposed to be a priest. And then the next day he'd receive signs that he was supposed to marry.
After months of oscillation, he finally said enough with the signs. A few seminarians came by Catholic High and talked to the students about just saying yes to God's will. This day, Brian was changed forever. He stopped trying to figure out what God wanted for his life. He stopped seeking that booming voice from the heavens proclaiming which vocation was his. He resolved to simply ask God for whatever His will was for Brian that day. "Lord, let your will be done today, not mine. I prayed that every morning to start off the day." Still scared at the fact that God was tugging at his heart, Brian openly waited for God. And God answered. Msgr. Friend providentially asked him for a meeting to discuss the priesthood. God always takes the initiative. "It is not you who have chosen me, but I have chosen you (John 15:16). From that meeting onward, everything fell into place. A quick visit to Holy Trinity in Dallas, which felt like home already, and paperwork, and a signing day ceremony, and we have a new seminarian. And a month later here Brian is today.
To hear what God's saying to us, we have to change the conversation to what God wants to talk about. He doesn't like to talk about long-term plans. He is totally interested in TODAY. And only today. This is the only day that is present to us. To hear God speaking to us, we have to give him a topic that he loves to talk about. So instead of asking him "God, what do you want my life to be like in 10 years?" or "Should I marry", ask him "God, who should I bless today? God, tell me today about how you love to forgive, or bless, or heal. God, where do you want me today?" And he will surely respond. Days and months with this attitude, you will find yourself doing God's will and he will make everything else fall into place.
He was captain of Catholic's football team, and had other priorities. After Christmas this past year, Brian went to the Diocese of Little Rock's "Come and See" retreat. However, he came away certain that he was called to marriage! He started looking for signs to confirm this decision. But they were ambiguous. As soon as he was set on marriage, he'd receive a sign that he was supposed to be a priest. And then the next day he'd receive signs that he was supposed to marry.
After months of oscillation, he finally said enough with the signs. A few seminarians came by Catholic High and talked to the students about just saying yes to God's will. This day, Brian was changed forever. He stopped trying to figure out what God wanted for his life. He stopped seeking that booming voice from the heavens proclaiming which vocation was his. He resolved to simply ask God for whatever His will was for Brian that day. "Lord, let your will be done today, not mine. I prayed that every morning to start off the day." Still scared at the fact that God was tugging at his heart, Brian openly waited for God. And God answered. Msgr. Friend providentially asked him for a meeting to discuss the priesthood. God always takes the initiative. "It is not you who have chosen me, but I have chosen you (John 15:16). From that meeting onward, everything fell into place. A quick visit to Holy Trinity in Dallas, which felt like home already, and paperwork, and a signing day ceremony, and we have a new seminarian. And a month later here Brian is today.
To hear what God's saying to us, we have to change the conversation to what God wants to talk about. He doesn't like to talk about long-term plans. He is totally interested in TODAY. And only today. This is the only day that is present to us. To hear God speaking to us, we have to give him a topic that he loves to talk about. So instead of asking him "God, what do you want my life to be like in 10 years?" or "Should I marry", ask him "God, who should I bless today? God, tell me today about how you love to forgive, or bless, or heal. God, where do you want me today?" And he will surely respond. Days and months with this attitude, you will find yourself doing God's will and he will make everything else fall into place.
