Tuesday, August 24, 2010

The Backup Plan

There's a story about the time after Jesus' Resurrection and Ascension that illustrates how much God is depending on us to take the Good News of Christ into the world, to "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19-20):

In heaven, all the angels could still see the wound marks on Jesus' hands and feet.  They all bowed down before Him.  Finally, St. Michael went up to Jesus and said, 'Jesus, do they know how much You love them?

"A group of them know", Jesus said.

"Well," St. Michael replied, "How are you going to tell the rest of the world?"

"I told Peter and I told James and I told John and I told the rest of the Twelve," Jesus said, "and they are going to have to tell others."

"Come on, Jesus", St. Michael said.  "How else are you going to do it?"

"This is it,", Jesus said.  "If they don't tell them, then the world will never know."

St. Michael asked, "What is your backup plan?"

"There is no backup plan.  If they don't do it the world will never know."

Ladies and gentlemen, we are the backup plan.  We, the Church, are the last chance that God has planned for humanity.  While there is certainly no "boxing in" God's capacity for mercy and creativity in countering evil, so far as we are concerned and privleged to know this side of the grave, we are it.  Beginning with Mary's fiat (be it done), made manifest in the person of Christ, and continuing in our own time, God has chosen us--you and me--to be his eyes, ears, voice, hands, and feet in the world.  The time has come for our generation to claim its call as servants of Christ and to live out that call with the intent of nothing less than changing the world.  This is not something we should take lightly or sitting down, for we are sent as sheep among wolves to follow Christ's model of laying down his life for we who he now calls friends.

In his homily for last week's Feast of the Assumption, our priest pointed out that God, the all-powerful creator of the universe, chose to hinge His entire plan for salvation on the yes of one poor, young, (but humble  and faithful) servant girl.  "God," as he put it, "likes to play dangerously."  The stakes are high, but now He has no less faith in us than He did in Christ; as we pray in the Eucharistic Prayer, "look not on our sins but on the faith of your Church..."  As he went "all in" with Mary 2000 years ago, and was satisfied by the faithfulness and perfect sacrifice of His only Son whom she bore into the world, now He looks to us.  The Lord of Hosts is hedging His bet on you and me.

This is our time.  This is the appointed time and place for us to enter the battle, like those who have fought so bravely before us, so that we might shine brighter than the stars, glorifying Him with them for all eternity.

4 comments:

  1. AMEN and ALLELUIA!!!! This was so inspiring!!! Thank you!

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  2. Wow!! This is the pep talk we all need.... You cut right to the chase, with clarity and power. It is so simple, isn't it?? Thank you!!

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  3. Love it!! That certainly is a prescription for the "I'll let someone else more capable do it" excuse! I am sometimes amazed at how much God allows us to be a part of His mighty work! Thanks for reminding us that we are an intregal part!!

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  4. One of professors said that we are only one generation away from apostasy. We are responsible for training and teaching the next generation.

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