Purpose and Freedom

photo taken by Maur

Yesterday I was on a walk and noticed a birds nest in a flowering little tree. I was struck by the thought of how a bird has the instinct to build a nest. There is something inside of that bird that drives it to find the twigs, bend them just so, and create an intricate, beautiful structure.

I relate to that inner force in how I feel compelled to be or do things in order to be myself. I am a loving sister and encouraging and trustworthy friend. I give praise in sunshine and warm breezes. I must write, I must run, I must draw nearer to God, and I must throw myself into the activities that interest me.

God gives each of us gifts – the talents, strengths, and abilities that make us unique – and He enables us to discover Him and His will for us through our gifts – the things that are our nature.

I think all people at some point or another want to know their purpose. Fr. James Martin, SJ (Society of Jesus, a.k.a. Jesuit), has a book called My Life with the Saints, and he writes that God awakens our vocations primarily through our desires and we are called to bring Christ into the lives of others by using our individual talents. God calls each of us to holiness, and Fr. James Martin writes that the road to holiness is in many ways the road to being oneself.

Holiness? That sounds hard. It sounds impossible for me, a person who sins and falls short constantly. What does that even mean? Being holy seems like it’s for other people; very, very good people: Saints. Men and women who give their lives to the Church. People who give up everything to follow the Lord.

… But, I desire to grow closer to God. I desire to have a heart like Jesus and to love people the way He loves. And look at the Saints! St. Paul, St. Peter, St. Augustine, etc., etc. – they were all regular people, some of whom were very sinful or fearful or ignorant. Even St. Paul writes, “Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost” (1 Timothy 1:15). So, holiness. I guess that means me.

God is good. He made me, blessed me, and called/calls me. He is always ready to pour His grace over me. By discovering what brings me joy, I can discover Him and the way I was made to bring Him glory. There is so much freedom in that. Fr. James Martin writes, “While I’m always called to grow, God asks only that I be myself, no matter what the situation,” and says that we’re meant to be ourselves, and to allow God to work in and through our own individuality, our own humanity.

Our challenge, that spans our entire lives, is to recognize how God is calling us through our gifts and talents, and to respond to those gifts in order to become more like who He made us to be.

I write this thinking about my own nature and how God calls me through my passions, as well as the joy I have and knowledge I gain by discovering and responding to Him. But the most wonderful feeling is that God loves us no matter what, and He loves us exactly as we are. There is nothing we can say or do to earn His love and mercy – He freely gives it to us.

Inspired by St. Therese of Lisieux, Fr. James Marin summarizes nicely: You don’t love the flower for what it does, but for what it is.

He Gives Himself to You

Tonight we remember Jesus’ Last Supper. In John (13:1) we read that “He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.” This makes Jesus seem so real to me. I think it is one of the greatest things that could be said about a person when reflecting on a person’s life, and this is what John wants us to know about Jesus. Jesus loved His people, all the way to the end.

Everything Jesus did, in His life and in His death, He did with love for the Father and love for each one of us. We are Jesus’ people. He carried the cross for the entire world and suffered death to conquer death and to redeem us from our sin. God loves us and wants us to be with Him in heaven forever.

Sometimes we doubt, or we feel too sinful, or we live in fear and don’t trust in the Lord, etc. Sometimes we don’t feel like we belong at Jesus’ table, that we don’t deserve to break bread with Him and accept His promises because we feel unworthy.

Well, it’s not about being worthy. God gives His grace to us not because we deserve it, but because He loves us.

Think back to the Last Supper. Jesus shared the Eucharist with all the Apostles, even though He knew that within a few hours, one would betray Him (Judas), one would deny Him three times (Peter), and all of them, except for John, would go into hiding out of fear. Additionally, within a few days, one would doubt that He was risen (Thomas). Jesus knew all of this, and yet He still chose them, loved them, served them, and shared with them. He asked them to imitate Him in service and to be leaders: “I have given you a model to follow, so that I have done for you, you should also do” (John 13:15).

Jesus offers Himself to us knowing that we are limited human beings who are all sinners. He knows that there will be times that we will fail Him. But He hopes in us and He loves us. He never wants us to be separated from Him; it is through Him that we gain eternal life. Jesus gave Himself to us because He loves us and He wants us to be with him forever.

If you were sitting at His table, He would lovingly offer Himself to you.