Praying in Church of Holy Sepulchre
Acts 9:1-20
My journey to the diaconate began years ago as we were leaving Sunday Mass. Our deacon came over and, as we were talking, he suddenly asked me whether I had ever considered becoming a deacon. My response was rather quick and dismissive – NO, never crossed my mind! And that was the end of it, or so I thought!
I think we have all had moments when someone challenges us or our boss picks us for a job we just don’t think we are suited for, a task that we are convinced we lack the skills to complete. And yet in the end, it all works out and then we realize that those abilities were right there inside of us all along, unbeknownst to us.
I thought we would consider today’s First Reading – the Conversion of St. Paul. It makes you wonder how God goes about picking leaders? I mean there’s Moses who has a speech impediment whom God sends to Pharaoh to let His people go. There’s David, the baby of the family, chosen to be a king and warrior. He calls Jeremiah to be a prophet and he is about as reluctant as you can get. Peter is headstrong! Thomas has doubts! And then in the Acts of the Apostles, there is Paul, full of murderous threats, looking to arrest any Christian he finds and bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. And yet God calls him to be His Apostle to the Gentiles. There is an old proverb - God writes straight but with crooked lines!
I mean seriously? None of these individuals went to God asking for the job. God sought them out; He chose them! What exactly does God see in these people that none of us can? Or maybe that’s the point! God sees us not merely as we are but as the person we can be! He sees our potential, our hidden abilities. He sees beyond our own doubts and faults, beyond our own unworthiness! He sees us as His children, full of hope and promise!
Creator God, grant me the wisdom to live in harmony with Your will!