All of us have been called to use our individual gifts for the common good
This Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time allows us to reflect on the Scriptures and become conscious of where we are in the process of accepting and acting on the mission Jesus has given us. Being conscious is important, because many of us have become habitual and even paralyzed in how we live out our faith. In these Scripture passages, there is comfort and challenge, and I hope we can hear both of those.
We hear in the readings the call of several disciples in the Old and New Testaments. It is interesting that there are similar reactions, no matter when a person is called to serve God. Unless a person is arrogant and overly prideful, the first reaction is usually one of unworthiness and inability to do what God is asking of us. If we listen to the prophets and the disciples, we see that each of them has to come to understand that Jesus knows them as they are and calls them because of that.
In our call to be a disciple of Jesus, are we still hiding? What will it take for us to finally understand that Jesus is calling us right now, in our current condition, knows who we are and calls us because of that? St. Paul is not faking humility when he says that he is the least of those called to the mission of Jesus. He knows what he did and is guilty of, but understands that Jesus can use each of us in a powerful way. At this stage of excuse-making, are we willing to finally come out from behind those excuses and act on being a disciple?
If and when we can say “yes,” it isn’t our job to decide where and when to act out that mission. Our job is to be led by the Holy Spirit and follow the directions given to us. The Holy Spirit can use our internal motivations, and we can take the signs and wonders surrounding us as the Holy Spirit’s promptings. Being a disciple of Jesus demands that we trust how God made us, how God creates our mind and heart to lead and guide us, and to trust that anything we do in the name of Jesus and following the promptings of the Holy Spirit will bear fruit.
Various gifts have been given to the entire community, every single one of us. To isolate the other human being is a sin against the body of Christ. None of us is worthy of the call to be disciples, but all of us have been called to use our individual gifts for the common good. It is a particular challenge for those of us who live in comfort and convenience to begin to think about the effects of our choices on those who don’t.
We can become conscious of where we are on the journey of discipleship by taking some time to quietly reflect on how Jesus has been calling us. Have we noticed the opportunities in front of us to be His disciples? Have we disregarded those or imagined that somebody else can do a better job? Do we trust that, even though we’re being called to do something we’ve never done, Jesus will equip us? Do we trust that Jesus will call us out of our convenience and comfort for the sake of others, and that is the epitome of living a holy life? Enjoy the call and journey of being a disciple, no matter how uncomfortable it makes us.
Father Donald Wester is retired and serves as lecturer of homiletics at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary.
