We all know that there are a lot of awful things happening in the world: storms and shootings, shut-downs and furloughs, divorces and disease—along with the effects of the usual sins of selfishness and greed. It is difficult to be positive and hopeful in the face of all this… It seems to me that sometimes, somewhere along the way, we have lost the sense of our divine partnership with God. We don't feel God’s continued presence in the midst of every day; we have forgotten His promised and abiding presence. We don’t celebrate and rejoice what God has done through us and that God is present in us every moment; and that He has given us everything we need to will and to work for His good together!
In Baptism we all drank of the same Spirit (thank you, St. Paul for reminding us) and so we are all members of one body of Christ. When we lose this “God-perspective,” this sense of divine partnership with God and each other, we begin a downward and destructive spiral. Without this “God perspective” all the difficult carry-the-cross things of this world may take us down. We think that we alone have to fix things or we are a failure. We feel stressed and rushed to accomplish all our tasks at hand and we may lose any sense of genuine thankfulness. We focus only on what is wrong or what we don't have or how we are flawed, and we don't look for God's presence in our lives. We ultimately divide the world in sacred and secular—limiting God to a box and a set time each week: 5:00 Saturday, or 7:30, 9:30 or 11:30 on Sunday.
As baptized believers we are called to remember that God is at work in us and through us to bless the world, to work things out for good, and to use those who love Him for His purposes. We are asked to be His hands, His feet, His help and His hugs in this world—which is why we are endowed with many diverse gifts in order to accomplish God’s mission! Just think of all the talents there are in all the people around us. No one is just one thing; we all have many parts that form us into one body of many parts.
St. Paul tells us today that it is this very diversity of the body (that would be us!) that enables it to function—we know that each single person cannot do every thing—we need all the people contributing all of their varied gifts in order to function and accomplish what needs to be accomplished.
We should remember that God is at work in us—both in bad times and in good times. God is always looking to partner with us in His work of redemption, forgiveness, creation, compassion, and holy living—and He has given us the tools and each other’s help in the gifts we all have received in order to fulfill this mission. God is present in all of us and with all of us and through all of us.
St. Paul tells us that we are God's co-workers! He told us that it is God who works in us to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose. Your job is to discern your gifts and to share them with the Body—to accomplish God’s mission in the here and now. Like I said last week: make your spiritual resolutions and get busy—and get sharing!
Keep singing!
Elizabeth Dyc
Just a Note: Here is a sweet song about gifts from God and gratitude.
https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/giftsfromgod
https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/christomlin
https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/chrislane
In Baptism we all drank of the same Spirit (thank you, St. Paul for reminding us) and so we are all members of one body of Christ. When we lose this “God-perspective,” this sense of divine partnership with God and each other, we begin a downward and destructive spiral. Without this “God perspective” all the difficult carry-the-cross things of this world may take us down. We think that we alone have to fix things or we are a failure. We feel stressed and rushed to accomplish all our tasks at hand and we may lose any sense of genuine thankfulness. We focus only on what is wrong or what we don't have or how we are flawed, and we don't look for God's presence in our lives. We ultimately divide the world in sacred and secular—limiting God to a box and a set time each week: 5:00 Saturday, or 7:30, 9:30 or 11:30 on Sunday.
As baptized believers we are called to remember that God is at work in us and through us to bless the world, to work things out for good, and to use those who love Him for His purposes. We are asked to be His hands, His feet, His help and His hugs in this world—which is why we are endowed with many diverse gifts in order to accomplish God’s mission! Just think of all the talents there are in all the people around us. No one is just one thing; we all have many parts that form us into one body of many parts.
St. Paul tells us today that it is this very diversity of the body (that would be us!) that enables it to function—we know that each single person cannot do every thing—we need all the people contributing all of their varied gifts in order to function and accomplish what needs to be accomplished.
We should remember that God is at work in us—both in bad times and in good times. God is always looking to partner with us in His work of redemption, forgiveness, creation, compassion, and holy living—and He has given us the tools and each other’s help in the gifts we all have received in order to fulfill this mission. God is present in all of us and with all of us and through all of us.
St. Paul tells us that we are God's co-workers! He told us that it is God who works in us to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose. Your job is to discern your gifts and to share them with the Body—to accomplish God’s mission in the here and now. Like I said last week: make your spiritual resolutions and get busy—and get sharing!
Keep singing!
Elizabeth Dyc
Just a Note: Here is a sweet song about gifts from God and gratitude.
https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/giftsfromgod
https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/christomlin
https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/chrislane
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