Friends of Faith:
I feel the
greatest sense of peace, of freedom and of joy when it is not I that chooses,
but when I have been chosen. God gives us free will, but the reason he made us
was to choose us.
If I believe I
can choose my own destiny then the struggles must likewise be of my own making.
But if I believe
God is choosing me then the “freedom to choose” isn’t really a freedom but a
test. And the real pursuit of happiness
comes from a choice to follow Christ’s footsteps; and real peace and joy comes
not from having chosen, but from the knowledge and faith that God is and will
choose me.
"The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast
for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the
feast, but they refused to come…..those who were invited were not worthy to
come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever
you find.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found,
bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came
in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He
said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding
garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants,
‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there
will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many
are invited, but few are chosen.” Mt 22: 1-14
Will I refuse,
will I be worthy, or will I be ready when God says, “Now, Charlotte, I choose
you?”
The readings this week remind me that to
expect something back from God, makes me like the hypocrite Jesus describes in
Matthew, trying to get ahead while inadvertently pushing or leaving others out:
“Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “Woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men. You do
not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.” Mt
23 13-14
“The last will be first and the first
will be last.” Mt 20:16 Just as real peace comes from
making right Godly decisions, so real freedom comes from following God’s rules,
His commandments.
Can I
accept and trust the fact that my perceived needs should come last, and that only
God can provide me with the gifts that I really need? Can I be content with
putting everyone else before me instead of seeking power and control of things
or the situation I find myself in?
Heavenly
Father: Your way is above our way. Your way of thinking is not the way many
humans teach others to think or for what to desire. Thank you for giving us the
life of Your son, Jesus Christ to be our example. Help me to focus my eyes on
Him and open my heart to let His love be my guide. “Oh, the
depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how
unsearchable his ways! For
who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor? Or who has
given the Lord anything that he may be repaid? For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” Rm 11:
33-36
I am
invited. I don’t know when it will be my time to be chosen. Will I be wiling?
Will I be ready?
Blessings,
Charlotte
