Fifth of Year C
February 2010
Today’s readings deal with the call, to do God’s work, of three important people; Isaiah, Paul and Peter.
Sometimes the call to do God’s work is abrupt and sometimes gradual.
By God’s work I do not mean running a successful parish or diocese or church. I do not mean building places of worship or founding religious orders or groups. I do not mean being a successful preacher or doing great works of charity. Doing God’s work may or may not include some or all of these things but the core of doing God’s work is leading people to know and love God out Father.
Isaiah, Paul and Peter certainly led people to know and love God, but you will note in today’s three readings that each of them had to undergo a transformation (either abrupt or over a period of time) which made them realise their frailty and sinfulness and required them to throw themselves at the mercy of their God. This brought them to the realization that they were nothing and of themselves they could do nothing.
From then on their lives were an act of total thrust in God and the power of God.
What we are talking about is humility. What we are talking about is truth.
It is this that enabled them to do God’s work. It is this that enabled them to lead people to know and love God their Father.
Each of us in her or his own way is called to do God’s work.
Each of us in one way or another must undergo a transformation (sudden or gradual). Each of us must learn humility.
This learning generally comes through the ups and downs of life especially when we have to confront failure, rejection, grief, being unappreciated, being passed over etc.
We do not realize it at the time but looking back over our lives we begin to realize that it was the most difficult times that eventually transformed our lives to the greatest extent.
St. Paul (who knew trouble and disillusionment from first hand experience) tells us ‘We know that all things work together for good for those who love God.’
I know that the exhortation to ‘trust in God’ whilst we are in the midst of our troubles and sorrows sounds trite, and patronising, but the alternative is anger and general disquiet of spirit.