Committe Domino viam tuam, et ipse faciet.” (Ant. 1, Office of Readings, Tuesday, Week II, of The Liturgy of the Hours according to the Roman Rite).
In the approved English edition, it’s translated as, Surrender to God, and he will do everything for you.
Surrender. 1. to yield (something) to the possession or power of another; deliver up possession of on demand or under duress. 2. to give (oneself) up, as to the police. 3. to give (oneself) up to some influence, course, emotion, etc. 4. to give up, abandon, or relinquish. 5. to yield or resign (an office, privilege, etc.) in favor of another. 6. to give oneself up, as into the power of another; submit or yield.
I like the translation of the antiphon. It could have been something more literal like, Commit your way to the Lord . . ., but Surrender to God . . . (The Grail translation) is much more evocative and emotional.
The antiphon introduces the first part of Psalm 37, which is filled with great advice relating to this total surrender:
– Do not fret because of the wicked; do not envy those who do evil . . .
– If you trust in the Lord and do good, then you will be secure . . .
– If you find your delight in the Lord, he will grant your heart’s desire.
– Commit your life to the Lord, trust in him and he will act . . .
– Be still before the Lord and wait in patience . . .
– Calm your anger and forget your rage; do not fret, it only leads to evil.
We’re usually continually caught up in a myriad of distractions, concerns, worries, plans, frustrations, regrets, disappointments responsibilities, and other such like.
What a relief it can be to just surrender. No, that’s not a copout nor a failure nor an irresponsibility. Surrendering to God is an honest admission that we are but limited creatures who inevitably are inadequate without divine help.
Not surrendering to God is
delusional, foolish, and self-destructive. God is not an enemy, but a friend. All that is good and meaningful and satisfying about our lives is rooted in our conformity with the designs of our maker.
Surrendering to God, to the one whose love created and sustains us, is not a relinquishing of our life and liberty but a fulfillment.
What an illogical, if not insane, course of action it is to try to live our lives ignoring our creator’s will.
Surrendering to God is not a negative act but a positive one. It enhances and expands our lives. It requires courage, strength, generosity, and wisdom. It’s not for the weak, fearful, foolish, for the spiritually deaf, dumb, and blind.
The Latin verb, committo, committere, also lies behind our English word, commitment, meaning an act of pledging or engaging oneself; dedication or allegiance; consignment or confinement.
Somehow or other, commitment has a sort of legal flavor, somewhat abstract, associated with obligations and responsibilities.
On the other hand, surrender sounds more like an act of heart than just of head, a total giving of all that one is, not just an acceptance of one more duty or responsibility.
Lord, give me the wisdom, strength, and courage to surrender to you!
4 September 2022