Tuesday, November 05, 2013

Exercise Our Gifts


By Beth DeCristofaro

Brothers and sisters: We, though many, are one Body in Christ and individually parts of one another.  Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them (Romans 12:5-6)

The master then ordered the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled. For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.’” (Luke 14:23-24)

Piety
Dear Lord,
Help us to not fight with other people
and to be kind and say sorry
and to share our toys with other people.
Please let us share food with poor people who we know
and with people who we don’t know.
Amen
        By Amy at St. Thomas More Catholic Junior School, Norwich, UK[i]

Study
If you have not yet seen the video of the young boy spending time on the stage with Pope Francis, take a minute and watch.  (Still photos available at the USCCB website with a link to a YouTube video at http://cnsblog.wordpress.com/2013/10/30/the-popes-new-helper/ ).  Pope Francis’ aplomb in accepting the boy in a space usually reserved for dignitaries shows us in an unassuming way Paul’s advice to recognize God-given gifts in each other.  The boy’s help was perhaps unnecessary but it was given with sweetness and accepted with gentleness. 

Jesus used the image of being a child to teach us how to follow God’s Word.  He wants us to be simple, trusting, loving, and faithful.  Perhaps we might remember the brief interchange between Pontiff and child recognizing it as on one hand as a brief interlude yet on the other hand a moment of Grace.  God’s presence in our lives are often Graced interludes which might be missed if we are not watching.

Action
Can you imagine a child giving up the opportunity to attend a party?  How have I missed an invitation from the Lord because I answered wearing my “mature,” societal hat?  Spend some time with these readings.  Practice putting on the little boy or girl within you who still responds to awe in the mundane moments of life and see if the Lord’s invitations become more clear.



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