Faith and Responsibility. By: C.C.

"The Lord God has given me a well trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from the buffets and spitting.
   The Lord God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame." (Isaiah50:4-7)

    The gift of faith is one to be truly thankful for. Praying for others to receive this grace is also very important. It is crucial that we, the faithful respond to His call by being content to serve Him and to be ambassadors for Christ in all settings.
   As we reflect upon what it means to called we must also recognize the power of having eyes to see, the ears to hear, a mouth that can proclaim the truth, and a heart to love God above all things. With faith comes great responsibility.
  Today's first reading reminds us of how we as children of God should live our faith and respond to the presence of Him within our lives. Isaiah sums up the important truths of being a servant of God amidst the world; facing persecution with perseverance of faith, using our gifts to glorify the Lord, and relying on Him through all of our circumstances.
   In this brief sharing of Isaiah's words one can not help but be moved by the incredible witness of faith that Isaiah exuded. He presents us with an understanding of what it truly means to be a child of God. How often we overlook the fact that it is God who has given all that we have. How often we implore these gifts to serve ourselves and our own agendas selfishly forgetting that "God is our help". 
  Though circumstances surrounding Isaiah and our early prophets may have been much different than what we face today, we are wrong to assume that this surrender and strength belongs solely to our biblical ancestors. The same Lord who called them calls us today. 
     In reading this scripture I could not help but evaluate the ways in which I implore all that He has given me. Let us reflect upon the ways that we use our gifts. Do we speak to the weary? Are our ears attentive to His voice? Do we turn our back to those who "beat" us? And do we persevere in faith with complete reliance on our Lord? 
  Let us not grow weary and let us rejoice for being called.  May we give thanks for knowing Him; and may we never forget the responsibility we have with Faith and the call to Love.
  Lord, we thank you for the gift of faith and the courage to live out Your call daily. Provide us with words to speak so that we can better serve You and reflect Your love in everything we do. Give us the humility and understanding to face persecution with courage. Help us to better understand what it is You have called us to accomplish. We ask for the intercession of the Saints, especially Saint Michael the archangel, and may the mantle of our Blessed Mother Mary protect each of us as we strive to serve her Son. (C.C.)

" This momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison" (2 Cor 4:17)