Earthly paradise comes in many forms. For me, the Lone Star State defines my heaven on earth and so it is fitting that each winter my family and I make an annual pilgrimage from New York to Texas to find rest and refreshment. While already predisposed to being content in this mini-paradise, imagine my delight when I discovered the Houston locality of Regnum Christi was sponsoring a Holy Hour for vocations at my daughter’s parish, Saints Simon and Jude. The evening was a foretaste of heaven: the dulcet sounds of praise and worship music, the powerful litany of prayers for vocations, the reverent exposition of the Eucharist, the comfortable pews filled with the faithful, and the lengthy lines for the confessionals all indicated that the vital mission of Regnum Christi is thriving in the Woodlands, Texas.
As part of the Eucharistic meditation, Father David Parker, LC, employed a clever image to illustrate two erroneous approaches to prayer. The first was that of a backseat driver who constantly directs, corrects, and instructs. This represents a way of praying where we tell God how He is to operate and where He is to take us. The second was that of a passenger who doesn’t want to do anything but rest. “Here Jesus, you take the wheel. I’m tired.” Thinking about these models made me reflect on our Regnum Christi devotion to Jesus as Christ the King. Certainly, one would not dare speak to an earthly king in either of these two fashions. Recognizing the supreme dignity and power of the King, the challenge for me is to always pray in the words of David, “Here I am, I delight to do your will.” (Psalm 40:7-8). It shouldn’t matter where I was going or how I would get there: it should simply be enough to go where the King wants me to go. This is the kind of passenger I want to be: fully awake, fully aware, open to going wherever the Lord wants, and not complaining along the way. What a great image for a Holy Hour devoted to vocations!
So, how can I actively allow Jesus to direct my life? I know He already has His driver’s license. This means I am going to have to buckle up with “the full armor of God” which includes “the belt of truth,” “the shield of faith,” and the “helmet of salvation” (Ephesians 6: 11-17). Equipped with these, and with the grace of God, I will strive to “be alert” and to “keep on praying” (Ephesians 6:18) while Jesus drives. This is what Christ the King was asking of me at that Holy Hour for vocations: to pray and to work for the coming of His Kingdom, on earth, as it is in heaven. Of course, this is what all Regnum Christi members are called to do—so whether we prefer New York hot dogs or Texas barbeque, I pray that we will all arrive one day at His heavenly banquet.
Hope Hirshorn is the RC Director for the NY Tri-State. Hope has a M.A., M.Phil. and Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Fordham, a M.P.A. and A.P.C in finance from NYU, and a certificate in Marian studies from her time in London. She and her husband reside in West Harrison, NY, and are the proud parents of six children.
