GOD CALLING!
Dear Parish Family:
Many people seem to have low opinion of themselves. They look upon others as talented and gifted, they admire others for their accomplishments, but when it comes to themselves they don’t expect much. Are you like that? If so, you cut yourself short. But in doing so you are in good company. Isaiah, Peter, and Paul also cut themselves short.
“Woe is me,” cried Isaiah when God came looking for a spokesman to send to the Jewish people. Isaiah was thoroughly convinced he was unable to be of any assistance to God, unworthy to even look at God.
“Leave me, Lord” pleaded Peter, “I am a sinful man.” Peter could not see how Jesus could invite him to come along and help him with his work.
“I am the least of the apostles,” wrote Paul. “In fact, because I persecuted the church of God, I do not even deserve the name.”
Three men, three men who considered themselves unimportant, joined the ranks of the greatest. These sinners, these unqualified, these common, run-of-the-mill men became three of the most important people of all times. Is that how you think of yourselves—” Greatness and importance are for others, not for me!” Don’t you believe it! God has important things in store for all of us.
Every day God asks us to do things from him. Do we hear him asking? Do we listen for him? Isaiah heard God; he even saw him. Isaiah though reluctant, responded with faith, and accepted God’s call to be His prophet to the people of Israel.
When Peter and Paul realized that God loved sinners like they were, that God was willing to forgive them of their sins no matter how terrible they were, that God wanted them to help him with his work, in spite of their limits and imperfections they gave themselves over to God to do whatever he asked. They placed their confidence in God, not in themselves, to be able to do good things. They found out that God could make the unqualified qualified to do his work. That should give us hope.
It makes no difference who we are or how many talents we have or don’t have. Each of us is a person God can use and will use if we let him. It would help if we had some confidence in ourselves, but even if we don't, let us allow our faith to give us confidence in God being able to do whatever he wants to do in and through us. Again, look at Isaiah, Peter and Paul.
It might not be God’s will that we become as famous as Isaiah, or as honored as Peter and Paul—our names might never find their ways into a book, but anything that we allow God to do through us will be found in the records of heaven and proclaimed by angels for all eternity. And they don’t have to be what the world considers big things. It is in what we consider the little things of life, the nice but seemingly unimportant things, that God does most of his work in the world. It is through chance meetings, a friendly word, a sincere smile at the right time in the right place that God spreads most of his love.
There are many things God will do only if you let him do them through you. And any act that God does through you, no matter how small or insignificant it might seem by world’s standards, is an act of divinity that raises its importance beyond the skies. For us to do important things for God and be important people is merely a matter of letting God love our neighbors through us in ordinary, everyday ways. We who are sinners, we who are imperfect, we who are unqualified in so many ways for so many things are asked by God every day of our lives to let him do something in and through us that is not going to get done unless we do it.
“Whom shall I send?” Isaiah heard God asking. “Who will go and prophesy for us?” As unworthy as he considered himself, Isaiah found himself answering, “Here I am. Send me!” And Isaiah went forth and did God’s work—as did also Peter the fisherman and Paul the persecutor. Now it is our turn.
Isn’t God wonderful! He thinks we are important enough to ask us to help him with his work. What does he want you to do today, what will he want you to do tomorrow? Be patient. He’ll show you. Just keep your eyes and ears open. You’ll see around you what needs to be done, you’ll hear the sounds of those who need you. God is often trying to get you to volunteer for a kind deed or two, and is saying, “Don’t be afraid. I’ll be with you helping you do them. Together we can do a lot of wonderful things.” Never cut yourself short. The world needs you just as it once needed those three great men — Isaiah, Peter, and Paul.
Aloha ke Akua,
Fr. Scott Bush
