This is how we are sanctified and this is how we sanctify the world

Today at Holy Mass in the first reading the Prophet Samuel was given a message from God.....”I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem,
for I have chosen my king from among his sons”…One of the sons among the many would be anointed….Interestingly enough, the one son who was disregarded was “the one” who was anointed….”Not as man sees does God see, because he sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart”…For those who read Scripture, we know that son was David, who goes on to be great in the eye of God and man……Why did everyone disregard David? - The answer - God sees the heart and does not judge by appearance…So the question today is - How do we judge people?…Is it by their social status?…Their wealth?…Their education?….When one reads the Bible, trends begin to form…The same trends are also found in the saints the Lord choose at particular periods of history…Most of these people did not exactly have the “greatest resume” for the role they played…But God saw “something” in them…Something that the world disregarded….The human heart is a mysterious thing….Inside of each of us are what St Teresa of Avila called “caverns”….Within the human soul, there are aspects of our very being that we are not aware of, but God is….And if we entrust our life to God - He we reveal these “caverns” to us….And in doing so, we will do what we never thought possible…This is why we must be convinced that God can do more with our lives then we can…Even the most gifted among us - God can do infinitely more with our gifts, talents and treasure then we can….Sadly - We lack trust!…..We must allow God to reveal to us the aspects of our very being that we do not see, but are there!…That is when we become the people we were born to be…This is how we are sanctified and this is how Catholics will sanctify the world.

“May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our hearts, that we may know what is the hope that belongs to our call”

Fear is a tool the devil uses to hold us back……Fear does not come from God…..Our fear limits our potential and it reveals our lack of trust in the God who loves us….Everything Jesus said in the Gospel is true - Everything!….Do we believe him?….Do we rest upon our own human limitations and weakness?….When we allow the grace of God to fill us, all things are possible….As a Catholic, we are instructed to live according to the perennial teachings of the Church…Far too many believe these teachings and dogmas are not “practical” in real life….That the Beatitudes taught to us by Jesus himself are just some “ideal”….Clearly, if we try to live in this manner resting upon our own strengthen, we will fail…However, if we live by and through Sacramental grace, which elevates human nature, we will do everything asked of us by God and more!…Our world does not believe this - Do we believe this?…….To “tap into the “caverns of our soul”, we need to overcome our fear, to rely solely on divine providence and grace….Only then will the impossible become possible…Once again, the saints show us this…Many of these men and women were the most unlikely of people to be “called” by God to accomplish his holy will…But as we heard today in the first reading from Mass……”Not as man sees does God see, because he sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart”……Allow God to work in and through you - And you will also do the impossible!

“I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, That my hand may be always with him, and that my arm may make him strong.”

Today at Mass we hear how the great King David was anointed - From that point on his journey began…..What about us?…..God has made each and every one of us unique - With that said, we each have something to do for God that one else can do - But in order for that “something” to get done, we need to “step outside” ourself…Living in this manner is often uncomfortable, this is why most people do not live like this - They settle for mediocrity - Never Settle!!!!!…….God did not create us to be “comfortable” - He created us for greatness…Our “greatness” is found in God - If we allow him to form us….Throughout the New Testament, Jesus tells his friends time and time again - “Be not afraid”….We are also told the same - “Be not afraid”….........”I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus”…..We must learn to trust the Lord implicitly, and when we do, he will transform our minds and hearts…..This is how we are sanctified and this is how we sanctify the world………….JMJ