Precious

 A mysterious telephone call one night:

"Hello," I answer.

A woman's voice: "Precious?"

"Who would you like to speak with?" I ask.'

"Precious."

"You must have the wrong number."

"Oh, I'm very sorry."  

End of conversation.

This call made me wonder: how often does God call us "precious," only to hear us respond, "You must have the wrong number"?  What would it be like if we answered, "Here I am, Lord!" instead of, "Surely you mean someone else"?

Do not be afraid, for I have redeemed you:
I have called you by name, you are mine.
. . .you are precious in my sight,
and honored, and I love you . . .

                                  (Isaiah 43:1b, 4a)

Our Call in a Broken World

Who are we called to be today in our broken world?

  

This is not an easy question.  But as we ponder it, we may well glimpse the call to be:

•    A witness to the goodness, love, and peace of God in a world torn by violence and hatred.

•    A witness to the goodness of creation where there is destructive unconcern with God’s good earth and its creatures.

•    A witness to the amazing reality that human beings can know God, even though God always remains mystery.

•    A witness to the fidelity and love of God, to the truth that it is safe to hand oneself over to God who always loves me, no matter who I am or what I have done.

_____

And what a wonderful truth: we are created to be capax dei, capable of God, and we are called into communion with the God who is Known and yet Unknown.

“O my beautiful soul…you are capable of God.
Woe be to you if you content yourself with less than God.”
                                     -    Saint François de Sales