KNOWING ONE'S POSITION IN MISSION

Knowing One’s Position in Mission

 

“You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but that I was sent before him.’” – John 3:28

 

St. John knew exactly his role with respect to Jesus. He never took the credit that the people were willingly giving him.

In life, there will be times when we will be tempted to grab the recognition due to someone else. We do this in our desire to lift up ourselves or to make people believe that we are better than others, even if it means stepping on others’ toes.

But achieving success this way spells guaranteed frustration and emptiness. True success is not just when you have personally grown in wisdom and humility but when others grew as much because of you.

Let pleasing God be our top priority in all that we do. Then, we can be sure that things will fall into their rightful places.Jess Santos  (jesus_santos_07@yahoo.com)

 

REFLECTION:

Have we stepped on others’ toes just to inch closer to our personal goals?

 

Dear God, help me to be sensitive when it comes to claiming recognition that’s not my own. Grant me the strength and courage to do the right thing every time I am faced with this situation, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

HOW DO WE LIVE IN TRUE HUMILITY?

 

John the Baptist does not live under any illusions of self-importance. He is quite clear as he speaks to his disciples, “I must decrease and he, Jesus, must increase.” Herein lies the answer to the question I posed in the title of today’s reflection. The only way to grow in humility is to have the same realization that John had, namely, that it is Christ and His will that is the all-important reality for happiness and fulfilment in life. If we try to live apart from the graces and fulfillment that Christ offers, we will only be frustrated and disappointed. If we surrender to God’s will and decide to live for Him, we will know the fullness of life.

Obedience and surrender to the will of God are not always, in fact rarely are, the most attractive of the options presented to us daily. This is why the saints talk about living lives of faith and trust in God. It is only if we truly believe in Christ that we would be willing to entrust ourselves to His promises. One of the greatest challenges in the life of faith is that the promises of Christ in the Gospel are only fulfilled in eternal life, that is, they are beyond experience in this world. This means that we have to let go of our need to experience these promises now — to feel the fulfillment of God’s promises. It is highly likely, if not for certain, that such will only come when we pass from this life to the next.

Jesus has traveled this path of faith when He submitted Himself to His passion and death. It is the Father, or more correctly, the glory of the Father (see Romans 5) that raised Jesus from the dead. Jesus totally surrendered His life to the Father so that we will be saved. He has walked the path of faith to prove to us that it is possible. Are we willing to follow His example? Are we willing to decrease so that His promises can increase and become the substance of our lives?Fr. Steve Tynan, MGL

 

Reflection Question:

What are the areas in my life where I need to grow in humility and surrender to the will of God?

 

Holy Spirit, grant me the grace to surrender my life to God and to allow Your grace to transform my life into a life of faith and trust in You.

 

St. Vitalicus, pray for us.