Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
No one is an island. No one is self-sufficient. Even a hermit cannot fulfill all his needs.
St. Paul was an entrepreneur in God’s plan. He had a divinely inspired message. He had the willingness to take this message to foreign lands and foreign peoples. And he had the courage to endure persecution that sometimes resulted from the message. Maybe most importantly, St. Paul knew that each of the Churches he established would need a leader to make sure the message was carried out when he moved on.
In other words, St. Paul knew what his contribution was in fulfilling God’s plan. He needed to do his part, and he needed to step aside and let others do their part. As much as he might have wanted to control and influence the formation of the Church at Corinth or Thessalonica or Ephesus, he needed the help of those who stayed behind (Timothy, Titus, and others) to make sure the work continued.
Knowing one’s role (our gifts and our limitations) is a sign of human maturity. Knowing one’s ultimate dependence upon God, and trusting Him, is a sign of spiritual maturity.
Reflection by Br. Jacob Kubajak, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections