"...others have labored..."

Each of us has so many things to do in our lives. I am often struck by how much I find to do each day here at the parish, amidst phone calls each day which I try to return as soon as possible (but which seems to always turn into 2 to 3 days), preparing for next year's Elementary Religious Education, or trying to respond to letters and concerns people have, not to mention trying to review and build up the Children's program and RCIA process with various videos and other resources. In the midst of all this, it is awesome how merciful God is. Working for the Church often can be a job where many people assume you know you are affecting them, and so they never mention comment to you about what you are doing or whether it is affecting them!

To this end, I am surprised how low our response to parent surveys are this year. Nevertheless, I am not employed by Holy Mother Church to be patted on the back, I am employed to help others learn their Catholic Faith. It is pretty amazing to me that God sends people who come to this parish feeling called to it specifically.

But while it is amazing, it is by no means surprising. I am often thankful I had the inspiration to put above my door in my office at the Community Center this scripture:

"I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor (Jn 4:36)."

Whenever I look at this scripture it reminds me how the Holy Spirit of God is offering actual grace to each of us. Each of us is given the chance to respond to God so many times throughout the day. He is never forcing himself upon us, only inviting and proposing.

It strikes me how so many people, unwittingly even, can be instruments in the hands of God for the distribution of grace. They can be conduits for grace in our lives to finally strike just that right note that makes our soul listen to the loving whisper of the Holy Spirit. Sort of like hearing an awesome Operatic work, which you can't help but stop and listen for a few minutes.

Yet, God is even more gracious still! Do you not realize, my dear reader, that God is calling you to be the "other who has labored" mentioned above my door? He is calling you to be the conduit of grace that will allow someone to consider the reality of the presence of God in their lives. You have the ability to make someone stop and hear God's symphony in their own lives. And even little ole me, I have that opportunity here at the parish, amongst the parish staff.

God is asking each of us, for the sake of the salvation of the world, to come to know our Catholic Faith so that all mankind will come to know the joy of the Holy Catholic Faith through each of us. Thus, we must know that we cannot give what we don't have! I was reading something the other day, where a Protestant minister was asking someone if they knew Jesus Christ? Do you? And if we do, should we not come to understand him more fully through the Catholic Church He himself established on the planet earth? This is the means God has given the world to know Him most fully - especially in the Holy Eucharist and other Sacraments.

If each of us parishioners at St. Jude could comprehend this reality of being one who labors for the Lord, by our Christian witness and actions, then the RCIA at St. Jude would be overflowing. I cannot make RCIA happen all by myself, nor can I really make it happen at all! For it is Christ himself who, by faith I know, called me to head this ministry at St. Jude to assist Fr. Darrell. Please pray for me that I can explain and teach the Faith in such a way that other can understand and accept it, while I pray for you that you will also labor out there in the world by your Christian witness and actions which allow God's grace to begin to enter into people's lives.