"All through our life Christ is calling us. He called us first in baptism, but afterwards also; whether we obey his voice or not, he graciously calls us still. If we fall from our baptism, he calls us to repent; if we are striving to fulfill our calling, he calls us on from grace to grace, and from holiness to holiness, while life is given us. Abraham was called from his home, Peter from his nets, Matthew from his office, Elisha from his farm, Nathanael from his retreat; we are all in course of calling, on and on, from one thing to another, having no resting place, but mounting towards our eternal rest, and obeying one command only to have another put upon us. He calls us again and again - and again and again, and more and more, to sanctify and glorify us.
It were well if we understood this; but we are slow to master the great truth, that Christ is, as it were, walking among us, and by his hand, or eye, or voice, bidding us follow him. We do not understand that his call is a thing which takes place now."
- St. John Henry Newman, from Magnificat. February 2020
That last paragraph is the most important, isn't it? Christ calls us now, in the 21st century.
ReplyDeleteI took the Morning Prayer service on Sunday and the Gospel reading was part of the Sermon on the Mount; after the Beatitudes where Jesus tell his disciples they must be the salt of the earth and a light shining in the dark. He tells them that their task is much more difficult than the duties of the scribes and pharisees. It is an impossible task because He asked them (and us) to be perfect like Him, but they (and we) must keep trying, over and over again.
These always uplift me, Lisa! Thank you.
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