Tag: Grace

Chosen, not Qualified

Published on by Kate11 Comments

Our base parish has been so thankful these past two weeks. Last April, our active duty priest assigned to our base retired and we have been without an assigned priest since then. A very kind priest from town has been coming to help fill in, but has to basically fly in, say Mass and then zoom straight back to his parish to make the times work. We were grateful for the gift of the Sacrament, but there wasn’t much time for pastoral care. After much prayer, a civilian priest volunteered to come fill the void and his homilies the past two weeks have been very, very good.

His main point this week was so good, I had to take a minute and share it with you all. He asked us a question at the start: “In all our readings today, there was a man before God. Was he chosen, though unqualified for the work? Or was he qualified, and then chosen?” The answer, of course, is that Isaiah, Paul and Peter were all chosen by God for extraordinary work, but at the time of their calling they were unqualified, unworthy or unclean in some way. They did not have perfect track records (remember Paul’s persecution of the early Christians). They were not holy men (Isaiah said he was a man of unclean lips living among people with unclean lips). They were not righteous men, living ascetic lives in the desert (Peter calls himself a sinful man and works as a lowly fisherman).

What makes these men great is their engagement in their call. Each one was called, and though knowingly unworthy, each responded in some way. Their response is what propels them along the path of grace which God had laid out for them. It changed them, moulded them into individuals uniquely qualified for the role God had called them too.

Isaiah’s lips were purified with the burning coal so that he could be a prophet to a people desperate for God’s presence. Paul credits his complete 180 to the grace working in and through him. Peter hear’s Jesus command to lower the nets and even in his doubt he is obedient. Through that obedience, a catch so large nearly capsized his boat.

What does it mean for you and I? It means that we all have been chosen for some work in this world. It also means that we probably aren’t qualified fully for it. None of us are perfect, we all have places of brokenness, fear, doubt, anger, etc. But those are exactly the places that God wants to work on, to improve, to qualify, so that we can fulfill His mission for us. We are each a unique chosen son and daughter of the Almighty, and nothing can take that away.

I, personally, see this especially in parenthood. These children that have been placed in my lap were chosen for my husband and I to raise. More often than not we feel hugely unqualified for this position. Books upon books upon blogs upon podcasts will try to tell you that you are qualified, that you’ve read all the answers, and it’s just not true. Because your children were not handed to you and your spouse unattached. They belong to God, and He is raising them right along with you. He chose you for them, unqualified though you are. When we lean into the grace He provides we discover the way forward which we couldn’t have found on our own.

So on the days you are feeling less than qualified for the work God has placed at your feet, take comfort and inspiration from Isaiah, Paul and Peter. They may not have been qualified, but they were willing. Are you willing to take the next step into your calling as a chosen son or daughter of the Father?

The Next Right Step

Published on by KateLeave a comment

About a month ago, maybe 2, I was listening to the Abiding Together podcast, the one I talked about in my last post. The ladies were talking about how often we want to wait for God to move, and then we follow. We are hesitant in what we know He is calling us toward, or where we feel He is desiring us to move next. We want assurance, some kind of sign or confirmation, that this is the way forward.

Have you ever felt this way? I know I have. I felt that way before starting this blog, I’ve felt that way every time I’ve taken a break from writing and feel urged to start again. I feel that way at the start of each school year that we continue homeschooling. Questions run through my mind, is this what we are supposed to be doing? How will this work? Should I wait to see if some new idea strikes me instead? How will I begin?

For a brief moment, Jesus felt the same way in today’s Gospel reading – the Wedding at Cana. Here He was, minding His own business, having a nice time at a wedding. Then His mother comes over and tells Him that the couple ran out of wine – a social disaster. He not so politely to our modern ears informs His mom that “My time has not yet come.” He wasn’t ready, it wasn’t the moment. But in that moment, she demonstrates all of her faith and trust in who she knows her Son to be: “Do whatever He tells you.” 5 simple words that have changed the world again and again and again.

Jesus hears those words and His moment of doubt disappears. Confidently, and obediently to His mother, He instructs the servants to fill jars with water. And with no explanation of what would happen, the servants obey, even to the point of pouring what they expected to be water into the head waiter’s cup to drink. They did not understand, but they obeyed. And in their obedience the miracle happened.

The saying goes, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” We are so like horses! God leads us daily to true, living water. But it is our free will to drink deeply or not. There is grace and life waiting for us if we just dip our heads in obedience and humility to the One who brought us to this point.

What are you waiting for? Where is God calling you, already more than halfway through the first month of the year? Where is there grace awaiting you to just take that next first step?

Update on my Word for the Year

So I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, reflecting and praying about my Word for 2019. I’m almost ready to say it’s “Follow-Through” but man, that takes a lot of courage for me to say. I am an ideas person, I love ideas. My husband somes calls me the “Idea Fairy” when I through too many ideas at him at one time. What I often don’t do so well is follow through on those ideas. I get stuck halfway through when the enthusiasm wanes and more ideas jump in my way. So, in order to follow through on things I need to do 1. A better job of discerning which ideas are actually from God 2. Taking the right next first step toward actualizing God’s plan and 3. Stay the course.

I’m sorely tempted to shy away from this Word, because it’s going to be a big big challenge. However, there is so much good that God could do with me, it seems like the temptation to set it aside might be from the opposing side.

Like I said, it’s not definite yet, but writing about it here makes it feel pretty decided. Maybe it’s the push I needed to make the next right step. I know that there will be grace waiting for me when my foot lands, ready to help me take the next right step after that.

Daily Graces. kktaliaferro.wordpress.com

Where is Grace?

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For a blog about finding daily grace, it has been so difficult to hear of the violence, hatred, and suffering that is happening daily in our world, in particular Beirut and Paris. In the face of such despair, it is tempting to cry out, “Where is God? Where is His presence? Where is His grace?” We might even be tempted to abandon our hope, to give into the false testimony of the Devil, for indeed he is the one nudging us on this path. When we are faced with feelings such as this, we must recall the promises God has made. The promise of His continued presence, of His loving mercy, and of His grace.

Where can I go from your spirit?

From your presence, where can I flee?

If I ascend to the heavens, you are there;

if I lie down in Sheol, there you are.

If I take the wings of dawn

and dwell beyond the sea,

Even there your hand guides me,

your right hand holds me fast.

  • Psalm 139: 7-10

 

The LORD’s acts of mercy are not exhausted,

his compassion is not spent;

They are renewed each morning—

great is your faithfulness!

  • Lamentations 3:22-23

 

So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.

  • Hebrews 4:16

God’s grace is everywhere. However, because of our free will, it is up to us whether or not we choose to participate in it.

the-eiffel-tower-103417_640I leave you with this quote from Cardinal Vingt-Trois, the Archbishop of Paris:

Faced with the violence of men, may we receive the grace of a firm heart, without hatred. May the moderation, temperance and control that has been shown so far, be confirmed in the weeks and months to come; let no one indulge in panic or hatred. We ask that grace be the artisan of peace. We need never despair of peace if we build on justice.