Rev. Rick Hoover

Page 102 of the Book of Common Prayer has a wonderful line regarding the disposition of the prayers we lift up to God. It is the central request of the prayer attributed to St. John Chrysostom.

"Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us..."

John wanted to refuse the position of Archbishop of Constantinople offered to him in 398 AD. God obviously thought the way to fulfill John's desire in a way best for him was to make him Archbishop anyway! As if to further emphasize God's protection for John, one night when his enemies had him arrested a great earthquake shook the land. The enemies relented and released him from prison.

The Divine Liturgy regularly celebrated by Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics is attributed to John (and the prayer attributed to him in the BCP comes from this Liturgy). His work is cited 18 times in the modern Catechism of the Catholic Church. He is one of the most influential of the Greek Fathers.

His prayer is one to be offered by those prepared to let the Lord Jesus have the last word. We certainly can produce long lists of desires. Yet our petitions may be little more than a wish to be made comfortable, through eliminating the suffering of those we love.

St. John comes before God ready to describe what he wants. But he has also heard how the Lord Jesus prayed in Gethsemane. Anything is possible with you, Father! But not my will. Instead, let thine be done.

For the Father's will is only what is best for us. On earth, as it is in heaven, may it only and everlastingly be his will that continues to shape our lives.

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