Prayerful Clarity

In Further Along the Road Less Traveled, M. Scott Peck makes this observation:

When Jesus gave his big sermon, the first words out of his mouth were: "Blessed
are the poor in spirit." There are a number of ways to translate "poor in spirit," but on an intellectual level, the best translation is "confused." Blessed are the confused. If you ask why Jesus might have said that, then I must point out to you that confusion leads to a search for clarification and with that search comes a great deal of learning. For an old idea to die and a new and better idea to take place, we have to go through periods of confusion. It is uncomfortable, sometimes painful to be in such periods. Nonetheless it is blessed because when we are in them, we are open to the new, we are looking, we are growing. And so it is that Jesus said, "Blessed are the confused." Virtually all of the evil in this world is committed by people who are absolutely certain they know what they're doing. It is not committed by people who think of themselves as confused. It is not committed by the poor in spirit.

Peck is on to something, and if you're like me I suspect there's a good bit of confusion in your life as there in mine. Here I'm thinking not only about the numerous befuddlements we experience daily (Where the dickens did I put those pliers?), but more importantly my confusions have to do with genuine perplexities about complex moral issues (What about assisted suicides for those who suffer painfully terminal diseases?), family issues (Is it all right to counsel my son to obtain a divorce?), and matters of national importance (Can I be a Democrat while opposing abortion?). Sometimes, depending on whom I've recently heard, I find myself changing "sides" on issues for which other make seemingly persuasive observations. In short, it's not unusual for me to find myself in the middle of things--confused.

In prayer, that is, in the distillation of interior silence and listening, God, as Jesus promises, blesses those of us who are confused . As we read Scriptures (especially the psalms), meditate on the Gospels, say our Morning and Evening Prayers, attend to frequent Holy Communions, practice some form of centering prayer, and allow the mind of Christ to shape our vision and actions, entering daily silence gives the Holy Spirit opportunities to clarify what's possible, what's right, and perhaps where ambiguity about somethings is all right. After all, even our opinions and decisions, as good as they may be, are nonetheless always in need of more thorough saving and forgiveness. Lest we think we've "got it," there's always the possibility that God will give us not only the right decision, but also a good way to express it with love and compassion. And confusion about that is often the tough part.

Image: Fra Angeica (1387-1455), The Sermon on the Mount