Call

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Call

Faith     Hope     

Striving     Delivering     Enduring

Greatest Gift Is Love

Unfailing

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:  Jeremiah 1:4 to 5

The word of the Lord came to me, saying: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I consecrated you, a prophet to the nations I called you.

First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 13:8a, 9, 10, 12a, 13

Love never fails. 

We know partially.

We prophesy partially.

When the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

Now we see with confusion, as in a mirror, but then we will see face to face.

Faith, hope, and love remain.

The greatest of these is love.

Reflection:

Our scriptures show us how God calls us. In our reading from Jeremiah we see that God is calling the prophet when Jeremiah is really young---in the womb!

Jeremiah will protest to God that he is too young to be a prophet. God is going to assure him that it is no problem---God will be with Jeremiah every step of the way. 

God never abandons us. When God calls us, God also sustains us with His Love.

In our reading from 1 Corinthians we get a glimpse of how deep and extensive that love is. It is a love that never fails.

We all know that as human beings it is very difficult for us to love all the time. We get tired, we become irritable, we get angry, we fail to communicate.

In those difficult times it is the Love of God that sustains us. When we are weak, we turn to our God for the strength we need to persevere.

We are reminded that we do not have all the answers---we know only "partially". However, that partial knowledge will pass away. We will see God face to face.

We are sustained by our faith in God. God calls us and God assists us.

We are sustained by our hope in God. When it seems like our call is not working out and we are not being fruitful, God shows us a different path to take.

We are sustained by our love for God. Our "partial" love grows as we encounter God "face to face" through our prayer.

We begin to realize that when God calls us, God will always be with us and gift us with that special Love that always embraces us and never fails us.

1. When did God call you?

2. Do you think a young person can be a prophet?

3. Why is it so hard for us to love all the time?

4. How do faith and hope help you in following God's call?

5. Why is Love the greatest gift from God?