But the LORD answered me,
Say not, “I am too young.”
To whomever I send you, you shall go;
whatever I command you, you shall speak.
Have no fear before them,
because I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.
The Church takes seriously the duty of preparing seminarians for ordination. No one should be ordained who simply presents himself and feels he should be a priest. The Church, in the person of the bishop, must be persuaded that this man has been called by God and prepared with adequate training for the mission and challenges of evangelization.
On the other hand, those who are called to ordination must also obey the Spirit that guides them to it. They should not say, "I am unworthy and will not answer." The young Jeremiah believed he was too young to be a prophet but God insisted that he take it upon himself. It was the Lord who made him capable, and not his own maturity, virtue, or strength.
Having recently attained 75.8 years, I can look back on a lifetime of priesthood and regret my many sins, slipups, and failures. Ordained at twenty-six, I could say I was too young, too inexperienced, and too confident to preach, teach, or preside over our sacramental rites. I might complain I have nothing to show for all the years. I built no churches or schools, nor did I found any organizations. I might doubt that the world is better off for my having been here.
But that's all nonsense. It doesn't matter what I think of myself or my career. The only judge is God, as Saint Paul insisted.
If we live by faith we ask the Lord for guidance every day and let the Lord judge its results. While we should be aware of consequences, no one can see all the consequences of their words and deeds. I have been generously thanked for things I don't remember doing, while my greatest sacrifices and most serious efforts went unnoticed. Who can really say, "I accomplished this?"
As Job said, "Naked I came forth from my mother's womb, and naked I shall go back again. We accept good things from the Lord, and should we not accept evil. The Lord gives; the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."
No comments:
Post a Comment
I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.