A GIFT THAT IS GIVEN IS OF NO USE, UNLESS IT IS ACCEPTED, OPENED AND SHARED
At the time of our birth, the Lord gives us a mission, each of us, in our own way, to continue His ministry – to spread the Good News that the Kingdom of God is here and now. In Romans 12:6, we read “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly…”
Our first obligation is to determine what these gifts are that are unique to each of us, to ask ourselves – what is God calling me to do, how do I fit into His plan – and then, with the help of His grace, to use them to their fullest potential. How do we identify these gifts? We pray, and ask God to help us see ourselves through His eye, to recognize what is already there.
As part of His plan to prepare us to carry on with His ministry, we are gifted with the fruits of the Sacraments. The Sacraments bestow on us the special graces that fortify us as we strive to answer His call. Faithful Catholics who have completed the Sacraments of Initiation receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit that we all share, but in addition, we each receive gifts that are meant for our specific mission.
If we look around in our own homes, our extended families, our work places or in our parish families, do we recognize those people who are using their gifts to bring us closer to God and to each other, and in turn to the greater community? Might it be watching the faces of the choir members as they use their voices to sing praises to the Lord, or feeling the enthusiasm of those teaching and sharing their faith with our children, or observing the heartfelt charity of those who share their time and the goods that help sustain the lives of those in need, or in so many others? Does this awaken a stirring in you to examine what gifts you have been given and to question how effectively they are being used?
Would someone seeking to learn more about our faith recognize that we are a community of people who embrace our gifts and deeply desire to share them? Are we, who are members of this parish family asking – “Are we blessing others as we have been blessed?”
Submitted by Marguerite Mullins