In this episode, I’m joined by Bishop Peter Dai Bui, Auxiliary Bishop of Phoenix, to hear his incredible story of faith, from fleeing Vietnam as a young child to discerning his call to the priesthood. We talk about what it means to trust God when we can’t see where He is leading us and how He can transform our desires into something far greater than we could have imagined. Bishop Bui also shares four ways God may respond to our prayers—yes, no, slow, and grow—and how each one invites us into deeper trust in His love and providence.
Reflection and Discussion Questions:
Bishop Bui describes the experience of escaping Vietnam in his father’s small fishing boat. As a very little boy, he was told to swim toward the single light on the boat in the darkness of night. He uses that metaphor now to describe the experience of journeying back to God with the light of Christ, even when everything around you is shrouded in darkness. Are there times in your life when you’ve had to move forward in total trust?
When his family arrived in Thailand, his father sank the boat to avoid being towed back out to sea by the Thai government. Is there an area of your life where you might be called to “sink the ship”? That is, commit to something with your whole heart and not hesitate or look back?
After finding refuge in the United States, Bishop Bui started going to Mass everyday as a boy to pray for an Atari gaming system. Instead, through the graces of the Eucharist, God enlarged his heart, changed his desires, and gave him a clear and distinct call to the priesthood. Have you ever prayed for one thing, only to find that your desires have shifted to something better?
Although he was extremely nervous when the papal nuncio called asking him to accept the appointment of auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Phoenix, the bishop immediately said yes. This was because, as he said, “I found out that every time I said yes to God, only blessings, peace would come from it. So I trusted that right now what God is asking of me is what He wants. So I said yes, even though I don’t know the implications.” Can you look back over your life and see the graces that have come when you’ve said yes to God? Does that increase your confidence and trust?
Resources Mentioned:
A Spacious Place: A Spiritual Journey with Saint Edith Stein by Claire Dwyer
“Boat of No Smiles” photographs by Eddie Adams
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