In his 2010 Lenten Message, Pope Benedict talked about the dangers and the sin of self-sufficiency. I’m glad he spoke about that. It affirms my prayers.
While everyone else usually prays for smooth sailing in their service, or at work, I usually pray that those who serve with me in whatever ministry we happen to join encounter difficulties in our service. Naturally, my service team cringes and ducks whenever I lay my hands to empower them with this prayer. (See a related blog on this by a friend who served with me in the 2010 Triduum of Ligaya.)
Before my service team suspects that I’m an agent for the Enemy, I explain in my usual taunting, ambiguous, neurotic way, that I don’t want anyone to work in my team who depends purely on his own strength, and who will later claim credit for any single fruit of this service.
It’s precisely because of this great danger of self-sufficiency that the Pope had mentioned. It’s the very response of the Lord to Paul who prayed for the thorn to be removed from his side. In 2 Cor 12: 6-10 , Paul said:
I don’t want anyone to think more highly of me than what they can actually see in my life and my message, even though I have received wonderful revelations from God. But to keep me from getting puffed up, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from getting proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor 12:6-10 NIV)
And time and again, God has proven Himself the Master of His Work. I’ve served in really tough situations, yet I continue to count my blessings that there is so much room for grace, and grace does abound for those who call on God in their service to Him. And, really, whom am I kidding? When I read stories of torture and martyrdom that the holy saints went through, the trials that I encounter when performing so-called ministry service is nothing. I count my blessings, and thank God that I have the privilege to be called to participate in His work, and to see with my very eyes how His work will go unimpeded, not by my strength but by His Spirit. (Zech 4:6).
After the 2010 Triduum, people approached me professing how they had been touched by the recollection that I delivered, and by the entire three-day service which I coordinated. And when they would say that I’m “anointed”, I could only reply, “Indeed, I was; and ain’t that a great thing (that it’s God’s power not mine?” Praise be to God whose Spirit is ready to anoint anyone who makes himself or herself available to serve God in any and all circumstances.
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