Embracing your specialness

Good News Reflection Wednesday of the Second Week of Lent March 23, 2011 This reflection is also available as an audio podcast: http://gnm.org/DailyReflections/podcasts and as part of a downloadable ebook of the entire Season of Lent: http://catholicdr.com/ebooks/Lent.htm Today’s Readings: Jeremiah 18:18-20 Psalm 31:5-6, 14, 15-16 Matthew 20:17-28 http://www.usccb.org/nab/032311.shtml USCCB Podcast of the Readings: http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/11_03_23.mp3 Embracing your specialness Have you ever had the feeling that you've been served enough? Not me! For years, I would feel depressed on my birthday and on Mother's Day, because these were the days I was supposed to be served and yet I always ended up doing the dishes or some other chore that served others. Even though my family treated me sweetly to make those days special, it never felt like they served me enough. One year I started a new tradition for celebrating my "specialness" as a person and as a mother. I decided that on any day when the focus is on me – or SHOULD be on me – I remember that it's really like any other day. God blessed me with life and the talents to serve others, and if perchance I receive special treatment from others, this is a bonus. It's nothing more than an additional gift from God, coming to me through whomever God has chosen at that moment, like any other day of the year. And you know what? I've greatly enjoyed birthdays and Mother's Day ever since! When we're the ones being served, we might feel special, but oh how quickly that feeling fades, doesn't it? We truly are happiest when we're using our gifts and talents in ways that make a difference in the lives of others. That's because we're made special by our unique combination of gifts and talents and personality traits. It's a specialness that no one else has. No one else ever did or ever will have what makes you YOU. However, the only way to experience this specialness is to USE your uniqueness in ways that God designed you to use it – and that means in service to others, which glorifies God and helps his kingdom. Otherwise, we're like a kid who gets an enormous basket of chocolates for Easter and he tries to enjoy all of its deliciousness in one day, without sharing it. Soon, he gets sick. Where's the fun in that? This is why Jesus tells us in today's Gospel passage that the greatest person is the one who serves all the rest. Serving others doesn't make us look good in the eyes of God – that's not where our greatness comes from. To God, we're already wonderful, simply because he made us each so unique, so special. Our greatness comes from making a difference in the world. We can only make a difference by using our giftedness to serve others. If you were to die tonight, what would people say about you at your funeral? The more good deeds you've done for others, the more you will be exalted in your eulogy – and in the kingdom of heaven. © 2011 by Terry A. Modica This work is NOT in Public Domain and may NOT be copied without permission. You may print one copy for your own personal use. For PERMISSION and info on how to copy this reflection for sharing, see: http://gogoodnews.net/DailyReflections/copyrights-DR.htm Seeking a past reflection? Click this button to register for the searchable Archive Library of the Good News Reflections. One week access is free to subscribers of these emailed reflections.

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