“We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.” -Acts 5:32
While growing up, many of my days were filled with playing sports of all types…sometimes on organized teams in the community and other times in “pick up” games in the neighborhood. As we would organize for those games in the neighborhood, the two “captains” would carefully begin to choose the members of their team, while the rest of us stood waiting for our name to be called. I can remember hoping that I wouldn’t be the last chosen; seen as the least valuable player for a team.
Many of us may recall events in our lives when we waited to be chosen, perhaps it be after an audition for a play or interview for a new job; it might be a letter of acceptance to the college of our choice or to become part of a new organization. Too often we place so much emphasis on being chosen that it defines our life’s worth.
In many places in the Sacred Scriptures, we are reminded of the marvelous gift of God, calling us to be His own people. As His chosen children we have been called to fulfill the mission which He has set for us. It may take us a lifetime or longer to understand, but even in our imperfection, in our limitations and shortcomings, in our unworthiness, God has created us to do Him some service. From the moment of our being created in His image we are given our worth, and from the moment of our baptism we begin to seek that mission He has in store for us. The world might not choose us, but God has chosen us.
Remember that you have been chosen by God, called out of darkness into His marvelous light, to fulfill a purpose which God himself has set before the foundation of the world. You have a purpose for which God has called you.
The following prayer of Saint John Henry Newman reflects our purpose …
God created me
to do Him some definite service;
He has committed some work to me
which He has not committed to another.
I have my mission –
I may never know it in this life,
but I shall be told it in the next…
Therefore, I will trust Him…
If I am in sickness,
my sickness may serve Him;
in perplexity,
my perplexity may serve Him;
if I am in sorrow,
my sorrow may serve Him…
He does nothing in vain;
He may prolong my life,
He may shorten it,
He knows what He is about.
-Fr. Kennedy