Many Gifts

The liturgy for this weekend highlights the beginning of Jesus’s public ministry. The interaction between Jesus and Mary probably brings up many memories for parents, teachers and others who deal with directly with the young. Mary recognized a need; she was concerned about the reputation of the hosts, the young married couple. She also saw the possible solution, but Jesus resisted her gentle prodding. His “time had not yet come”.

It is not just the young who resist responding – we all do it at some time or other. We may feel that the effort will be too costly, we don’t have the time, we don’t have the gifts, it will be embarrassing, others won’t understand, the need isn’t really that great or urgent, etc. I could fill a whole page with reasons I would hesitate to respond in certain situations.

In 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11, Paul reminds us of our vocation as disciples. We are to use the gifts given to us by the Spirit for the common good. Paul lists a few gifts in this passage, but he reminds us that we are given a variety of gifts as the Spirit chooses and that these gifts are not to remain dormant but are to be used.

Today, as we look around at our world, we can see the tremendous needs. War, discrimination, racism, ideological divides, anger, hatred, greed, poverty, homelessness, economic disaster, climate change …. the list can go on for pages. We live in a world that is torn apart by so many issues. Paul reminds/exhorts us to use the gifts that God has given us for the common good. But too often “our time has not yet come”. We may be paralyzed by the vastness of the need around us, we may feel that our gifts are not really needed or that we don’t have the right gifts, fear of rejection or ridicule or failure or any number of other factors. Yet we are called – our vocation – is to respond as disciples and to continue to build the kingdom where justice, peace, compassion and care for others and for creation is evident all around us.

The liturgy today challenges me to look around and recognize the needs of others. Then it challenges me to look within to recognize the gifts I have been given to used for the common good. Finally, I am called to respond, to use those gifts for the common good just as Jesus responded to the need of the people gathered to celebrate that wedding in Cana of Galilee.

By Richard Beaudette, OMI