Word to the Wise
Saturday, July 9, 2022 - Saturday in the 14th Week in Ordinary Time
[Isa 6:1-8 and Matt 10:24-33]Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?" "Here I am," I said,; "Send me!"
JULY 9 [Dominican Martyrs of China]
The dramatic scene of Isaiah's call is not the experience of everyone whom God calls to ministry! It was not mine, either. But the last couple of lines were inspiring to me when I was preparing for priestly ordination and I had them included on one of the souvenir cards that are part of ordination celebrations. Dramatic calls like those of Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, St. Peter and St. Paul are the stuff of heroes. For me it was an insistent interior nudge that would not go away. Like Moses, my arguments against God's call were pushed aside by the "nudge." My plans were to finish law school and go home to practice law with my father. I did eventually finish law school but I had to first go and join the Dominican order!! I gave little thought to the challenges Jesus promises to disciples in the Gospel According to Matthew - the gospel scriptures of the last few days from chapter 10.
The important thing to remember is that our baptismal commitment is the first "call" from God. How we each respond to that call is the story of our life. It may be in marriage, single life, dedicated religious life, ordained ministry, etc. Pope Francis has pointed out that all the baptized are called to be "missionary disciples." It is conscious and intentional fidelity to that call in everyday life that forms the attractive witness to others, not some formal title conferred in a sacramental or other ceremony. A popular hymn based on Psalm 62 says, "As morning breaks I look to you, O Lord, to be my strength this day." That is the prayer we can all say that puts skin on discipleship. AMEN