For grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Live in a manner worthy of the call you have received. We might ask but just what is meant by this? God has blessed us; God has infused his Spirit within us. Jesus entered our lives at our baptism.
To hear that God’s grace has been given to each one of us are words that can be very reassuring depending on the frame of mind we find ourselves to be in. Many of us want very much to possess the humility, gentleness, patience and bearing with one another through love that St. Paul spoke of today in the first reading but find that this is not always the reality. We sometimes fall short of the mark and are genuinely remorseful.
Elsewhere in the scriptures we read that in weakness we will find strength. For many, acknowledging weaknesses can be a source of shame but Jesus says to us today what he said to the Pharisees who asked why Jesus associated with sinners and tax collectors like Matthew, apostle, and evangelist, whose feast we celebrate today. We heard Jesus say:
Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do and I have chosen to give my grace and my blessing to them in the measure that I chose. They are mine and I hold them in the palm of my hand.
In life we are reminded every day of our humanness, our good qualities but also our shortcomings. Someone described us as people who are good but capable of being better. More often than not, our shortcomings have more of a hold on us than our strengths and it is precisely at those moments that we need to hear the words spoken today about grace, God’s blessing given to each one of us.
I am reminded of the illness that Patrick Peyton suffered as a seminarian, a sickness that derailed his hopes of becoming a priest. Depressed, despondent, ill, an elderly Irish priest entered his room in the infirmary at Notre Dame and simply told him, “Pat, you have the faith, your mother shared it with you as a boy, use it.”
This could be said to any one of us who may possess a physical illness or spiritual illness. Seek to discover and experience the blessing, the spirit, the grace God has given to each of us through our baptism, acknowledge it and celebrate it.
- To view Rosary prayer and Mass streaming live, please visit our Facebook page at 11:30 am EDT, Monday – Friday. Please invite your loved ones to join us too! (You don't need a Facebook account to view.)
