Duluth: One Thing Have I Asked

During my recent travels to the University of Minnesota Duluth, I found myself in the midst of a Spirit driven people that were seeking God's face. However, as most university settings there is much animosity towards those who try to walk in the ways of the Lord. This sign (to the right) was posted in the hallways of the school, it simply states, "Believe in God? Neither do we!" A young woman saw this sign in the hallway on a Sunday evening around 8 pm and started to cry. She wasn't sure what to think; where to go - she felt all alone. And at that moment, she heard music coming from the auditorium , just up the stairwell. It sounded like church music -she was being called by the Lord God, in whom she desired to know. She walked in and found out that it was a Catholic Mass. Being a baptized Catholic, it had a familiar feel to her, but she still felt like she didn't belong. Then a gentle and caring face came up to her and introduced herself to the young woman and invited to come to Mass and sit up front with her. The young woman was given great consolation that the Lord Jesus did exist during Mass and in fact said that she was coming back next week to Mass with her parents and her friends. Her exact words were, "I was checked out, but now I am definitely checked back in."

Romans 8:28 says, "We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose." The Skeptic Society at University of Minnesota Duluth made a sign to help those who doubt, doubt more and yet this sign caused a young woman to ask some the most profound questions of her life. Why am I here? Who is God? Who am I? Is there a purpose if there is no God? These questions brought her to tears, yet it is when we are lowest that the Lord God comes to us and picks us up, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mark 2:17). God wants us to ask questions, he wants us to seek Him with all we have. He does ask us to become perfect, but we cannot do that without Him, "we can do nothing without Him" (John 15:5).

But if we seek God, we start to find Him in places we never dreamed of. In the the dark shadows in the valley of death. And when we seek God, we become less afraid, because we start to love. our love is empowered by this seeking and "perfect love cast out all fear" (1 John 4:18). This is the love that this young woman found in Duluth on that cold Sunday evening in an auditorium before our Lord Jesus in the Eucharist. She found the answers to all her questions. Yes her prayer became that of the "One Thing!" Let us Pray with her and the Psalmist

"One Thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after;
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
to behold the beauty of the Lord.
and to inquire in his temple." (Psalm 27:4)

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