Word to the Wise
Sunday, January 16, 2022 - 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - C
[Isa 62:1-5; 1 Cor 12:4-11; John 2:1-11]There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. [1 Corinthians]
One of the great blessings, at least for me, in being around a campus ministry is noticing how the "gifts" each student has grow and develop and mature. Sometimes a student is unaware that he or she is particularly gifted until a friend or someone in leadership notices this and comments on it when a role has to be filled. Occasionally one meets a student who has multiple gifts and is not equally fond of them so that he or she would prefer to exercise one instead of the one the group needs! Wisdom has to intervene!
Discerning the gifts and talents of the community and bringing them to bear on the greater goals of the community is a challenging task. I recall being asked to serve my Dominican province as the Novice Master, a demanding formation position involving the men in their first year of Dominican formation. I did not consider myself qualified but my Dominican superiors thought otherwise with one of them saying, "Sometimes we know you better than you know yourself." It worked out well by God's help, but I learned a lesson about discernment!
St. Paul challenges both individual and community to work together to discern talents and roles for the good of the whole community. Can we be as generous in service as the Spirit is in providing the gifts? AMEN