A Sunday Thought to Start the Week Off Right
In case you missed it, September 27th brought us the feast of St. Vincent de Paul. His surviving writings consist primarily of "Counsels." Read any of these and you'll find an extraordinarily humble man making simple, modest suggestions about how ordinary people might live holy lives. We'll share a tasty slice of these with you in a moment. But first, let's connect that slice with something we posted on October 3rd. It's addressed to folks who spend their lives in ordinary labor - which likely includes most of us.
...the fact is, we can't all be "the boss;" most of us aren't "entrepreneurs." In fact, most of us, when push comes to shove, really occupy a relatively tiny spot in the vast universe of enterprise that makes the wheels of the world's economy spin. Yes, some few will "rise to the top." Some have the knack or creative genius to invent or improve an idea or technology that moves our world's economic needle. But the vast majority of us show up at our jobs each day, a cog in a wheel we didn't create or re-invent. By keeping God in the picture, even placing Him at the center of our endeavors, we cultivate a closer relationship to Him...
Not only do we cultivate this "friendship" with God, drawing us closer to Him on an intimate level, but we will be doing our part - the part He designed for us - in carrying out His Plan. (You might ask yourself: Would you rather be Bill Gates's or God's friend?)
With that in mind, during this Sunday respite from our ordinary labor, let's now take a few moments to consider these thoughts from the "Counsels" of St. Vincent de Paul:
"The methods by which God chooses to work are not in accordance with our ideas and our wishes. We must content ourselves with using those small powers which He has given us, and not be distressed because they are not higher or more far-reaching. If we are faithful in a little, He will give much into our charge ; but that is His province, and does not depend on efforts of ours. We must leave it to Him, and try and fill our own niche.
The spirit of the world is restless, and desires to be active in all things. Let it alone. We must not choose our paths, but follow those into which it is God’s pleasure to direct us. So long as we know ourselves unworthy to be used by Him, or to be esteemed by other men, we are safe. Let us offer ourselves to Him to do or to suffer anything that may be for His glory or for the strengthening of His Church. That is all He asks. If He requires results, that is in His hands and not in ours ; let us spread out heart and will in His presence, having no choice of this or that until God has spoken. And, -‘meanwhile, pray we may have grace to copy our Lord in those virtues that belonged to His
hidden life.
Remember always that the Son of God remained unrecognised. That is our aim, and that is what He asks of us now, for the future and for always, unless He shows us, by some method of His which we cannot mistake, that He wants something else of us. Pay homage to the everyday life led by our Lord on earth, to His humility, His self-surrender, and His practice of the virtues such a life requires. But
chiefly pay homage to the limitations our Divine Master set on His own achievements. He did not choose to do all He might have done, and He teaches us to be content to refrain from undertakings which might be within our power, and to fulfill only what charity demands and His will requires."
Such wise and consoling words for us ordinary folks! This week, as St. Vincent urges, "pay homage to the limitations our Divine Master set on His own achievements." Do what you do best, and do it with love (charity). That's all anyone can ask of us.
Happy Sunday!
...the fact is, we can't all be "the boss;" most of us aren't "entrepreneurs." In fact, most of us, when push comes to shove, really occupy a relatively tiny spot in the vast universe of enterprise that makes the wheels of the world's economy spin. Yes, some few will "rise to the top." Some have the knack or creative genius to invent or improve an idea or technology that moves our world's economic needle. But the vast majority of us show up at our jobs each day, a cog in a wheel we didn't create or re-invent. By keeping God in the picture, even placing Him at the center of our endeavors, we cultivate a closer relationship to Him...
Not only do we cultivate this "friendship" with God, drawing us closer to Him on an intimate level, but we will be doing our part - the part He designed for us - in carrying out His Plan. (You might ask yourself: Would you rather be Bill Gates's or God's friend?)
With that in mind, during this Sunday respite from our ordinary labor, let's now take a few moments to consider these thoughts from the "Counsels" of St. Vincent de Paul:
"The methods by which God chooses to work are not in accordance with our ideas and our wishes. We must content ourselves with using those small powers which He has given us, and not be distressed because they are not higher or more far-reaching. If we are faithful in a little, He will give much into our charge ; but that is His province, and does not depend on efforts of ours. We must leave it to Him, and try and fill our own niche.
The spirit of the world is restless, and desires to be active in all things. Let it alone. We must not choose our paths, but follow those into which it is God’s pleasure to direct us. So long as we know ourselves unworthy to be used by Him, or to be esteemed by other men, we are safe. Let us offer ourselves to Him to do or to suffer anything that may be for His glory or for the strengthening of His Church. That is all He asks. If He requires results, that is in His hands and not in ours ; let us spread out heart and will in His presence, having no choice of this or that until God has spoken. And, -‘meanwhile, pray we may have grace to copy our Lord in those virtues that belonged to His
hidden life.
Remember always that the Son of God remained unrecognised. That is our aim, and that is what He asks of us now, for the future and for always, unless He shows us, by some method of His which we cannot mistake, that He wants something else of us. Pay homage to the everyday life led by our Lord on earth, to His humility, His self-surrender, and His practice of the virtues such a life requires. But
chiefly pay homage to the limitations our Divine Master set on His own achievements. He did not choose to do all He might have done, and He teaches us to be content to refrain from undertakings which might be within our power, and to fulfill only what charity demands and His will requires."
Such wise and consoling words for us ordinary folks! This week, as St. Vincent urges, "pay homage to the limitations our Divine Master set on His own achievements." Do what you do best, and do it with love (charity). That's all anyone can ask of us.
Happy Sunday!
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