The Dark Night and Control

At the Cardiff OCDS meeting on Saturday we were discussing the problem we often have in relinquishing control over our lives – abandoning the tiller to God, letting Him gently prise it out of our hands.  Today I came across a quote from a book by Gerald G May (The Dark Night of the Soul) which is helpful because the author makes explicit how our experience of the dark night can help us to let God lead us.  “One of the biggest lessons-and another gift of the dark night-is the realization that I'm not as much in control of life as I'd like to be. This is not an easy learning, especially for take-charge people like me, people who think they can - and more important, should be - in control of things. Other people are more naturally able to go with the flow of life. They deal with things as best they can and then go on to the next moment. They too have their dark nights, but they don't pester themselves. Either way, each experience of the dark night gives its gifts, leaving us freer than we were before, more available, more responsive, and more grateful.”

Intercessions

Cancer: Brian Davis, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Jacqui, Fr Jon Bielowski (Plymouth Diocese), Catherine, Alex (43 with five children), Sister Daranee Teapthong, Theresa K

Brian (recovering from Pneumonia)

Kevin (heart attack)

William Gove (recovering from stroke)

Illness:  Hilary Solomon, Katy Keeling

Siena, Elara – sick children

David OCDS – housebound

Grace – troubling ailments, job difficulties, family (deceased mother and health of father)

Mark – brain infection

Michael, Kira – vulnerable youngsters

Defence of the unborn and the elderly

We are asked to pray for the Diocese of Chiang Mai and Northern Thailand, as the Northern Mission celebrates its centenary. The process of selecting a new bishop continues.