The word of the LORD came to me,
saying: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.”
before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.”
What a beautiful passage from the
beginning of the Book of Jeremiah. It
has a special meaning to me because, there was a time when I was discerning my
vocation to the Permanent Diaconate when I read it. The words spoke directly to
my heart and from then on, I knew exactly what Christ wanted me to do. His love
enveloped me and cradled me. It was a moment
of experiencing Christ’s Grace that I will never forget. What is even
more wonderful about this passage is the fact that it calls to all of us in the
same way. God does in fact know each and every one of us and has claimed us as
his own. He is there from the very beginning, cradling us in his loving arms
and holding us closely to his breast. He is constantly around us and walking
with us, during the good times and during times of crisis. We just need to take
a moment and realize that He is there.
Being a creation of Christ, we
are called to love Him. Christ is what love is. And it can be argued that the
perfection of that Love is the vision of that little child: pure innocence
helpless and pure in the womb. Envision that state: totally dependent on the
one who created you and who has the responsibility to protect and nurture you.
In our lives, Christ is the nurturer and we are that child.
We are commissioned by Christ to
keep this love within our hearts and
spread this love through our actions and our words. We are all prophets
spreading the Living Word of our Lord Jesus Christ. Recall those moments of joy
when we all celebrate together, be it the Eucharist or some sort of occasion
that brings this Christian Family together. What happy, unforgettable moments I
myself can recall. And how many more are yet to come. Why? Because all the
times we come together it is because of Love. It isn’t for a moment of
enjoyment or something that will be easily forgotten. It is always because we
all feel that closeness, we all feel that overabundance of love that is Christ.
And when we feel it, we want it all the more.
Through these moments, Saint
Paul’s words ring all the more true: “ Love never fails.” It has that distinct
ability to overcome all obstacles. It is not a coincidence that, in times of
trial and tribulation, people flow back to the Church and the Eucharist for
comfort and guidance. What also happens, though, is that when the crisis
subsides, there are those who turn their back on that same love which carried
them through. Many times, it is very easy to do this. That is our human nature.
The world around us tends to drown out even something as great and resounding
as Christ’s Love. But it is still there, crying out in the distance, waiting
for us to respond to the call. It can also be felt deep within our hearts,
tugging at our conscious. Temptation is
always there, urging us to ignore our very own creator. What a tug ‘o’ war this
can easily become, especially with all of the worldly goods society offers. To fight this, we must realize where this
world comes from and why we were created: because GOD LOVES US.
Through that love we are
encouraged to build a foundation for our lives. This very same foundation is
made of many different stones of different shapes and sizes. Each one is unique
because each one is a different individual that we have welcomed into our
lives. This solid, unbreakable foundation is our Christian Family. Each is as
important as the other. We are united in
our faith, our love, and our lives. As long as this is realized, the stones are
unbreakable. Nothing can separate what
God has fused together. We are all united through Christ and with Christ.
When you are living your life, going through
your day, keep the fact that you are not alone in the back of your mind. And
silently thank those around you for being a part of your foundation.
Deacon Tom
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