When the Word Is "Irritating"

Welcome to Word for the Week, the series in which I:

share my experience of hearing God’s Word in Mass last weekend,
explore what I believe the Lord is calling me to do about that Word, and
ask how this Word might impact your life, as well.

---

Two Sundays back, I attended Mass in Green Bay, Wisconsin! There was an accordion player in the choir, people were excited to talk about the Packers after Mass, and excitement to soak up the final warm days of 2021 was palpable! The word that stood out to me seemed both quirky and a bit foreboding: “irritating.”

That was a first!

When I’m researching the verse now, I’m finding two different versions of Wisdom 2:12:

a. “The wicked say: Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us”
b. “...Let us lie in wait for the righteous one, because he is annoying to us”

Annoying, obnoxious, irritating. Same difference? Thankfully, my spiritual director taught me to ask the question, “How does this word speak positively to my life?”

As I traveled across the Midwest last week (Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio!)—the Holy Spirit prompted me to speak very openly, honestly, and perhaps irritatingly to some on the receiving end of my words. I not only needed to work through challenging conversations in ministry, but I felt responsible to share about it with those who follow me on social media.

Even now, as I sit down to write this reflection in the airport, I just received a note on Facebook from a concerned acquaintance. She asked me to “please pray about whether to leave that up,” regarding my very open sharing on social media. One of the beautiful and challenging parts of trying to live by God’s word, is that sometimes it will not be pleasant.

So, yes, I am praying. And even still, I believe the Spirit lead me to share a glimpse into the annoying/obnoxious/irritating parts of life as a missionary. In a nutshell: it was a difficult week. I wasn’t feeling my best, emotionally or physically. I traveled many miles alone. There were disheartening happenings on the ministry front, particularly with Fr. Matt Fase and our work with his community. However.

The Word of the Lord is alive! The Word of the Lord is good news. And I believe that even when our response to the Spirit is irritating to other people, we can trust God to bring His word to fruition in us.

So, I'll end with a prayer of both uncertainty in my own actions and trust in God's Providence. Because maybe I'm wrong! Maybe I'm being irritating all on my own, rather than because I'm following God's prompting. I'll leave it all in God's hands with this prayer by Thomas Merton:

"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."

Amen!

___

Special thanks to VIP Patrons:

Dick Safranski
Jordan Mendez
Julian Padilla
Jessica Cook
Kate Hicks
Sara Chacon
Deacon Tim & Lily Roberto
Carrie Brzezinski
Frances Jones

To become an Amanda Vernon Patron and receive a “New Song Every Sunday,” signup at amandavernon.com/patron.