I remember a homily at a school mass. Father said to the students, “It’s common for people to ask you, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ You probably think that, too. But that’s not the right question. The better question is, ‘What does God want me to be when I grow up?’ The answer to that question will bring you joy and satisfaction—and happiness, because then you will find your place in God’s plan of goodness for the world.”
When I heard that some years ago, it startled me. What? I had spent a lot of time in my youth deciding what I wanted to do with my life. Yet, reflection over time has shown me that many changes in the directions of my life were God saying through events, “Mary, you don’t see what I see, so you don’t choose what I choose for you now. I will need to let Providence and life events move you into alignment.”
And so it has been.
All of today’s readings can be summarized by the Psalm response, “Here am I, Lord. I come to do your will.” They guide us to ask, “Lord, what do you want of me now?”
Isaiah 49:3, 5-6
This selection is from the part of Isaiah written during the Babylonian exile (chapters 40-55, often called Second Isaiah). Much of Second Isaiah is about the “Suffering Servant.” Since the earliest days of the Church, the Suffering Servant has been identified as Jesus. There are four “songs” of the suffering servant (Isaiah 42:1-9, Isaiah 49:1-13, Isaiah 50:4-11, Isaiah 52:13-53:12).
The focus in the reading today is on Jesus’ obedience as a servant. He was chosen and formed for his task from conception. In his task, he is to obey the will of God. He is a servant of the overall plan of the Trinity for the salvation of humanity. He is contrasted with Israel, who did not listen and obey God closely enough to accomplish the plan of salvation for all. Jesus, as a servant willing to suffer, is now to be the source of bringing everyone into right relationship with God.
I Corinthians 1:1-3
St. Paul probably wrote this letter to the church in Corinth about six years after he helped found it. In this short greeting, several things stand out as fitting with today’s theme, “Here am I, Lord. I come to do your will.”
Paul identifies himself as “called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.” He doesn’t say, “Paul, who founded your church,” or “Paul, Jew turned Christian,” or “Paul, well-traveled, successful missionary.” Apostle in Greek means “one who is sent.” Paul’s identity is one who is sent to proclaim Christ Jesus by God’s will for my life. In a way, he is saying, “I am a suffering servant called to follow and proclaim Jesus, the central suffering servant.”
Then look at how Paul identifies the members of the Corinthian church, “you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy.” Here he describes the Corinthians as ALSO called to be formed in the image and will of God—suffering servants, all.
Paul begins with the end in mind: he begins by reminding the people that they, too, are called by God—and for a purpose close to Paul’s purpose: “with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” They, too, though perhaps not sent as an apostle, are called to BE servants conforming their lives to the values and teachings of Jesus, because they are called to be holy.
John 1:29-34
You may be wondering, “Isn’t this Sunday supposed to be the Baptism of the Lord?” Well, yes, typically the Sunday after Epiphany is the Sunday of the Baptism of the Lord. But this year, because Christmas occurred on a Sunday, the Baptism of the Lord was celebrated on Monday, January 9th.
Nonetheless, the Gospel is about John the Baptist’s view of the Baptism of the Lord and invites us to see Jesus’ call in his baptism, John’s call in Jesus’ baptism, and our calls in our baptisms.
The Gospel today begins in the middle of a conversation between John and messengers from the Pharisees. He just told them he is not the Christ. They ask, “Then why are you baptizing.” John answers, “I baptize with water for repentance. The Messiah will baptize with the Holy Spirit.”
Now it is the next day. John and the Pharisee emissaries are talking again. John sees Jesus and says, “There is the Christ. I know because God told me to watch for the descent of the Holy Spirit. It descended on that man. He is the Son of God.”
Did John know that his job in the proclamation of the Kingdom would soon end? We don’t know, but he sent Andrew and another disciple to follow Jesus the next day.
John must have been listening very well to the voice of God, because he followed the will of God immediately and clearly.
Applications: The Universal Call to Holiness
I read Lumen Gentium for a class at St. Meinrad, but until now I have not studied background information. Since I am teaching Vatican II documents this year for both A Catholic Moment on zoom and in my parish over lunch, I am reading background information. It is easy to get lost in “the dynamics of the Council,” but reading for themes has been very helpful.
I knew the increased role of the laity was a theme across Vatican II documents, but I had not been aware that “the universal call to holiness” was something dynamic that emerged from the Council. Even the Hebrew Scriptures say God’s people are called to be a “people set apart.” That we are called to be holy (set apart to be like God) is all over the New Testament. Saints in their writings have consistently said it. But over the years, being baptized Catholic and having a connection through family was considered “good enough.” Holiness was for religious. Common belief was that your family would just have to pray you into heaven after you died.
But Vatican II makes a strong point of what the Church has always taught: we are all called to holiness. And we are called to spread holiness across the earth.
How do you get to be holy? There have been MANY saints in the last century and a bazillion books and meditations written. Enough that every day I meet people who are HUNGRY for God. Often, holiness is not even a concept, but connection with God is front row center.
The Holy Spirit at baptism and in every sacrament gives the CAPACITY to become holy, but then we must be formed.
We must be formed beyond a confirmation education. We must be formed in faith at the same level we are formed in general education and for our careers. We must be formed to think–to think critically when we read something in Catholic media. We must be formed to understand the core teaching of our faith. And as we are formed with head knowledge we must be formed with heart knowledge and appreciation of how our wills work.
We are all called to holiness, just as we are all called to learn to eat and read and have conversation. But, just like table manners, deciphering big words, and how to politely say no must be taught, so we need to know the complexities of thinking and living as a saint-in-the-making Catholic.
Our faith is beautiful! It’s full. It’s logical. It’s sane. It’s loving.
When it’s formed well.
I’m not one who thinks we ought to go back to memorizing catechism answers, but the old Baltimore catechism started off with our end in mind.
Q:Why did God make me?
A: God made me to know him, love him, serve him, and be happy with him in this world and the next.
That’s another way to say God calls me to be holy, because only the holy enter into Heaven.
So, the application question today is, “What are you doing to better understand God’s will for you—your call to be holy?”
Prayer:
“O most Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, I adore you! Lead me, guide me, console me, strengthen me, give me your orders. I promise to do whatever you ask of me and accept whatever you permit to happen to me. Let me only know your will.” (Prayer by Cardinal Mercier)
NOTE: If you replied you are interested in the study of the Vatican II document Lumen Gentium that is to begin Sunday, January 15 at 2 pm Eastern US time, you should have gotten an acknowledgement email from me and a zoom invitation on January 14. IF you did not get a zoom invitation, contact me asap at mary@skillswork.org . I must have left you off the list by mistake.
