Chosen

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Chosen

God's Grace

Humble   Lowly   Weak

Consider Your Own Calling

Presence

(Photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   First Corinthians 1: 26

Paul was writing to the members of the Church in Corinth to which he had ministered. He was talking about the wisdom we find in Jesus, and he said:

"Consider your own calling, sisters and brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many of you were powerful, not many were of noble birth."  

Reflection

Isn't it amazing that you have been chosen by God? From all eternity God has called you so that you might be full of the Love of God. You are wanted. You are cared for. You are known.

Paul is telling the community in Corinth that they have been called not because they were wise, powerful, or born into wealthy families. God chooses us for one simple reason: God loves us. It is not that God wants to get something from us. God wants to give us the gift of the presence of God. God wants to fill us with grace.

God calls those who are humble because the humble are open to listening to God's word. They know that they do not have all the answers. They seek truth and wisdom. They know that it is not about them. They do not seek power and fame. They want to follow what God wants.

In the eyes of the rich and powerful they might be considered to be lowly. God sees with different eyes. God knows what is in our hearts. The lowly are elevated to the highest positions because God wants people who are sincere and truthful to spread the Good News. 

God chooses the weak. We might think that God could not possibly choose us because there are so many better people for God to call to build up the Kingdom of God. We can think of many people who are more talented and skilled than us. 

Yet God chooses us with our failings because God will give us the strength that we need. It is not about us. It is always about God and how deeply God loves us. We can be confident that God will lead us in the right paths because God always has. We know that God can use us in our weakness if we embrace humility and listen for what God wants us to do.

It is time to consider our calling: what does God want us to do? God has shared Wisdom with us in the scriptures, in our community, in creation, and in the saints that inspire us. We discover that God wants us to love our sisters and brothers as God loves them and to work for a just world for each and every person. 

We do this when we live in the presence of God each day. We take time to listen through prayer and spiritual reading. We transcend our individual weakness and lowliness the more we turn to God and follow our calling.

God has called us.

We have been chosen.

How special are we!

1. How has God chosen you?

2. What does God want to give to you?

3. Why does God choose the weak and the lowly?

4. Do you feel that God will lead you in the right paths?

5. What do you feel as you reflect on Kathy's photo of a young person receiving her Confirmation?

(Scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)