What Are We Doing Here?

Driving on West End Avenue in Nashville is easier on Saturday and Sunday. Obviously there are not as many businesses open so the traffic is minimal. Picture 7 lanes and 10 cars; flashback to the year 2000.

Last Saturday, after passing Vanderbilt campus heading toward town, I noticed cars at a complete stop on the opposite side of the street. I slowed in case the cause of the halt crossed over to my lane. On West End, we expect the unexpected and as I slowly passed the scene, that’s exactly what I witnessed. Two geese had somehow landed themselves in the middle of West End near the Cathedral of the Incarnation. Were they coming from making a visit, talking to God about the crowded conditions of the pond at the Parthenon? Craving Mexican food? Jason’s Deli? Needing a few supplies from DGX? What were they doing here?

As they waddled along, I noticed a worker from Cathedral watching from his truck. I drove down and turned around at St. Mary’s, heading to snap a pic of the strange phenomenon. On my way back up the hill, there he was, the Cathedral worker, aka good Samaritan, shepherding the “flock” to safety.

Oftentimes, when I think of wandering, of people or things being headed in an unlikely direction and redirected by good, the Thomas Merton prayer rings in my ears:

My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.

I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
“Thoughts in Solitude”

As I watched these two geese, I thought about the hundreds of times I’ve been asked, “What are you doing here? Why are you on West End Avenue? You will soon be the smallest building on the strip. You could buy a much better location (false).” Inside my brain I answer, “I have no idea. I’m not for certain. I hope we are pleasing God. I trust that He is leading us. I pray that we are doing what He desires us to do.” I respond, “I hope and pray we are bringing others closer to Christ by having this place in the middle of a busy town, close to our Cathedral, where people can come and find rest, experience peace, and share their stories. Well, and buy what they need.”

As I watch these two displaced geese wandering and being watched over in safety, I think about Jesus sending out the Apostles two by two. I think about the words “where two or more are gathered in His name.” I think about the road ahead and I see that God has graciously sent our two oldest daughters to join us in His work on the crowded streets, pinched between many high rise buildings with more to come, and I think, “we are here doing what we believe is His good work, His desire, passing on what brings others to a closer relationship with Him through something they read or the use of Sacramentals.”

True, many days we are asked “What are we doing here?” and many days it crosses our minds about moving on but we simply take a deep breathe and stay focused, knowing that if we do this, He will lead us, though we know nothing. The future is in His hands and so we continue to pray:

Lord, we thank You for this day. Help us to follow Your will, to remember why we are here. We pray for all the people who have signed our book of prayer intentions. We ask You to help us to make a difference to those who come into St. Mary’s and all the people we may encounter elsewhere, expected and unexpected. Help us to learn to listen, to have patience, to allow others to tell their stories and to feel Your love and Your peace and Your mercy. We thank You for the opportunity to serve and ask You to continue to bless St. Mary’s and all her workers past, present and future. Amen.

PSA – no geese were injured in this story