26 October 2008

Greetings Friends,

In years past, and perhaps even in our present time, recess at school was a time for play. And play, at least years ago, included activities such as baseball, kick ball, or dodge ball. Unsurprisingly, two of the most athletic or popular kids in the class would be designated as the captains of each team and would choose their team members from among their classmates who were all standing together. One by one the captains would call off names of the kids they wanted on their team. Inevitably there would be two or three or four left and these were deemed by the captains as perhaps the least athletic or popular kids in the class. It’s tough to be picked last; it’s tough to be considered by our classmates as unworthy. It hurts our feelings.

As we grow in faith though, we come to realize through Scripture and faith formation that God chooses each and every one of us at the very beginning of our lives. God shows no partiality, God values each life and God loves each person without measure – no matter who we are, no matter our “status” in life, no matter what! And God is with us every single moment of every day. In return, as we grow to come to know God in our lives, we understand that God asks something of us in return: to love. To love God with our whole being and to love others as ourselves. God blesses each and every one of us with talents and gifts that are not intended for only ourselves. We are meant to share ourselves and all the goodness and blessings God gives us with others in our own individual and unique ways. This is a tall order at times. And yet, we are invited to accept this task and to fulfill it as best we can.

May we ponder with awe what it means to be chosen by God, and know that God’s deep and abiding Love is with us always to strengthen, sustain, uplift, and console us.

Peace on the Journey