The homily from a young visiting priest we had yesterday was funny. The priest talked about his vocation, as the Gospel was on the calling of the apostles.
The priest said that there was nothing earthshaking about his calling, his was just a simple response to a call he heard. But his family and friends have different opinions about his vocation, and continue to be bewildered by his being a priest. And, as gladly. he allows himself to be the butt of jokes come reunion time, as loved ones swipe their hands on him as if he is a holy icon. Ha ha ha. To them, he is the same guy, nothing super special.
But that is precisely the point. He is not super special. He is not the perfect guy. He has faults. That is why he was called.
God actually called on the imperfect ones to do the job for Him. Abraham is low-key, Noah a little dumb, Moses a coward, Jacob a deceiver, Joseph vengeful, David a wife stealer, Jonas an evader, Samson proud,
The new testament has quite an amazing list, too. Zacharias has a wobbly faith Joseph the carpenter had called feet, John the Baptist a loud hot-head, Magdalene a prostitute. Simon boastful, James has temperament, Zacchaeus a usurer, and Saul a persecutor, or killer of Christians.
These are not exactly the men, or woman, we would want to idolize. And yet, God picked them from many a perfect ones. But when they responded, they delivered.
So, it is not that you and I, imperfect as we are, that God has not chosen us. He has called us already, actually. It is our turn to make the response.
Have you?
If you haven’t, then, what are you waiting for? Time is of the essence, brother,
Eileen C. Leyva 