How great are your works for the Lord?

Good News Reflection
Friday of the 30th Week of Ordinary Time
October 29, 2010

Today's Readings:
Phil 1:1-11
Ps 111:1-6
Luke 14:1-6
http://www.usccb.org/nab/102910.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_10_29.mp3

How great are your works for the Lord?

You are a gift from God to the world! You are a gift in every way that you do good and use your talents, your finances, what you learned from your past experiences, your training and skills, your compassion, your knowledge, your Spirit-supplied wisdom, your unique personality, your right choice of words, your helpfulness, your – anything that is you that reflects God's goodness.

Through the words of St. Paul in today's first reading, Jesus is telling you personally: "I give thanks to my Father every time I think of you – which is constantly." He is telling you: "Our Father has begun a good work in you and he will carry it all the way to completion. Rely on him!" He is saying: "I am praying that your love will continually increase and change this world through what you know and perceive about the ways of God."

Jesus recognizes that you are a very important gift to the world. Because of your uniqueness, you are extremely valuable. No one else can do what you can do, the way you can do it. No one else has your particular set of talents and experiences and insights. In partnership with the Holy Spirit, you are awesome!

Satan is free to do evil whenever God's gifts for the world (God's children) say no to using their giftedness in cooperation with God's plans. What are the excuses we use? I'm too busy. I'm too inadequate. I'm too tired. I'm too scared of how I might suffer if I do that. I'm too focused on my own projects. I'm too in need of attention from others. I'm too unwilling to change.

It's the curse of "too-someness". Blessings are found in the "two-someness" of partnering with God. After Christ ascended from the earth, the Holy Spirit descended to the earth so that we could become the Body of Christ – we are his hands, his feet, his vocal chords, his smile, his presence in the world. Today's responsorial psalm is true because God works his wondrous deeds through us: How great are the works of the Lord!

Look at how Jesus, in today's Gospel reading, dared to use his giftedness when society dictated that he shouldn't. We need to let go of our perceptions of when and how it's okay to be gift for the world. You are very valuable! You are already doing good with the gifts you have. Become aware of Jesus patting you on the back and being very pleased with you. Read again today's first scripture and put your name in there, to make it a personal letter from Jesus to you.

Now, is there anything holding you back from doing ALL that you can do in partnership with God? May your love abound more and more!

For help in discovering your "two-someness", see my e-book: "Knowing God's Will and Doing it Well" - http://catholicdr.com/ebooks/GodsWill.htm

© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
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