We once had a
superior who was a brilliant leader in our community. When the brothers deemed
it necessary to hold a home visitation to our employees, he was able to facilitate
that home visitation. When the community decided that a feeding program be part
of our Advent penance, he organized the feeding of about a hundred street kids
from our parish. The brothers considered him to be an admirable head, for he
put into reality what the community articulates in words.
Words are
powerful as they turn into reality, and so it is with the one who concretizes
them. Plans and good ideas that remain on the drawing board are rendered
useless compared to those that are accomplished.
The words of God
are powerful for they are realized. He said let there be light, and there was
light. He said let there be vegetation in the land, and there were trees and
plants of various kinds. When He promised a Savior, He sent His Son: The Word
of God made into flesh (in-carne).
The Word of God gains its power as it is incarnated into reality.
The written and
spoken words of God (in the scriptures) contain vital information that can make
our lives better. His word is a lamp to guide and light our path (Ps 109:105). The
words of God are aimed to alleviate the misery and poverty of the people in his
midst. They relieve us from the burden of sin and death. They set us free from
the slavery of this world. They bring good news to the poor, proclaim liberty
to captives, give new sight to the blind, free the oppressed, and announce the
Lord's year of mercy. They truly do so, for they are powerful words from a
powerful God.
God communicates
and realizes His desire through ways sensible to us. The beautiful trees and
natural wonders help us to know about God's ingenuity. Through the bread and
wine which we offer, God nourishes us with the Bread of Life and spiritual
drink. Christ assumed our human flesh that we may see and experience God in
ways familiar to us. As God proclaims His good news to us, God is employing us
to be bearers and fulfillers of His words. We receive the words and the Word of
God every Sunday. Have we allowed the Word of the Lord transform us to be God's
instrument in accomplishing his words?
Once there was a
village that held a statue of Christ as the pride of their small community.
They placed it on a pedestal in the middle of their square. Unfortunately war
broke out in their country. Planes flew in, dropping bombs and firing
ammunitions. The image of Christ was hit and turned into pieces. After the war,
the villagers picked the shattered pieces and reconstructed the image. After
recreating the image, they observed that the only missing pieces are the hands
of Christ. So they placed a plaque at the base of the statue with these words:
Now we are the only hands that Christ has.
Beside His words,
God gifted us with various talents and resources. Just like a body with many
parts (as St. Paul said), the Church has her members as her parts. We are parts
of the Church that enable it to function to realize God's words. As members of
His mystical body, the Church, we are Christ's hands, feet, mouth, eyes, and
ears, which will minister to the poor and captives. We are God's instruments in
fulfilling His Word.
How do you use
God's given resources to fulfill his Words?
How have you
become God's hands, feet, eyes, ears, and mouth?
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