Our readings this week present to us three men called by God: Isaiah, Paul and Simon (Peter) – all of whom are certainly not the prototypical ‘candidates’ you would consider for doing God’s work. Isaiah was a man of unclean lips (certainly sinful); Paul was a persecutor of Christians; and Simon was a simple fisherman with a hot temper and a stubborn streak. Each of them would likely have been incapable of being competent in ministry to God, much less hugely successful, on their own initiative. But when called by God and led by God, they could not be stopped. We are nothing without Him, but everything with Him. They each humbly accepted God’s will for them and gave of themselves with total commitment to Hi. By accepting and cooperating with God’s will for them, they became the very prophets, saints and leaders that God wanted them to be and that we as Church needed.
As Vincentians, we are also called by God to minister to those who are suffering in His Church. We come from many backgrounds and have many deficiencies. I suspect many of us feel unequipped to do this work. But God will and does equip us with all we need when we open ourselves to his call to us. We can take heart from the example of these three who gave of themselves in total humility and selflessness and acted with great passion in cooperation with God. When we do, His strength and goodness will overshadow any deficiencies we have. Do I offer myself in complete humility to God? Do I discern and allow Him to guide all my actions that they may be fully aligned with His will for me and those I minister to? Do I embrace all He gives me with the passion of Peter, Paul and Isaiah?
Father, give me the courage to say yes to your call to me. Help me to recognize in true humility my total dependence on you, accepting that guided by you in cooperation with your will all things are possible. Allow me to submit in selflessness and with great zeal in ministering to all who you bring before me. I pray all of this in your Son’s name. Amen
Deacon Mike