Aug 29 Sat
Am I an instrument in God’s hands?
Recently, Pope Leo XIV told the Peruvian youth in a video: “Do not be afraid to be God’s instruments."
“Be brave, Christ lives.”
“The certainty of the Lord’s living presence in our midst must be the inner fire driving us to be brave and to step out of the comfort of individualism — to become part of a community of brothers and sisters in faith, to forge true bonds of friendship, and thus bear witness that it is possible to live united in Christ.”
“Open your hearts wide to welcome the gifts the Lord wishes to pour out upon you.”
"And do not keep these gifts just for yourselves — do not let them remain only in photos on your phones or videos on social media; share them, reflect them in your lives, because today many people need that joyful and contagious witness that a young person in love with Christ can convey."
Me? God’s instrument?
We are the seed. The Lord is the divine Sower; He tosses the wheat to the winds, so that in dying, it becomes life; in sinking into the ground, the wheat multiplies.
This is a call for responsibility on our part, since we are not inert instruments, but intelligent and free beings who need to use our mind, heart and will.
Moreover, instruments mustn't be left to grow rusty. While we have to be eager to improve and deepen our formation, we can never forget that we are involved in a supernatural endeavor which goes forward only under God's almighty hand. This consideration should fill us with confidence, especially when we feel incapable of carrying out a task or overcoming an obstacle.
Seeing our own shortcomings is already a grace from God; it helps us grasp more clearly our need to be docile in God's hands. “And since we want to be good instruments (as Our Lady was), the smaller and the more wretched we see ourselves to be, with true humility, the more our Lord will make up for all we lack."
We are convinced that the light and warmth that attract souls result from our continuous stewardship of the grace God gives us, despite our personal mistakes.
There are two components in being instruments: the calling and the mission.
The calling: Our Lord chooses us from all eternity and generously bestows his graces on us.
Then, the mission: He sends us, requiring our correspondence; we must welcome his gifts and let him act without putting up resistance.
“To merit that God-given light, we must have the love and humility to recognize our need for salvation. And we must say with St Peter: Lord, to whom should we go? Thy words are the words of eternal life; we have learned to believe, and are assured that you are the Christ, the Son of God (John 6: 69-70).
If we truly live this way, if we allow God's calling to enter our heart, we'll be able to repeat truthfully that we do not walk amongst dark shadows. Above our miseries and personal defects shines the light of God, which is like the sun shining above the storm clouds."