The Unprofitable Servant: Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen

The King gives a wedding banquet for his son, but the honored guests spurn the invitation. The Gospel tells us that the second round of guests came from all walks of life. One was too busy with his farm, another had to return to his merchandise.

Our priest reminded us today that if all who have been called would show up to the feast, the church would be overflowing with people and there would be many in the street clamoring to get in. That is not the scene at my church and there are probably few, if any, that would fit this description.

There are some days when things don't go so well for me, spiritually speaking, and I think to myself that if a truck came along and splattered me all over the interstate, I'd be hard-pressed to get into Heaven. And then I have a couple of thoughts about this. If we honestly try to do our best, it shouldn't be hard to imagine that a benevolent God would not pull the rug out from under us at a time when we're at a spiritual disadvantage. By no means I'm advocating a life of sin and assuming that God will call us when it's most convenient for us. I'm only saying that He knows we are human and bound to fall and that if we make every effort to keep His precepts, we will not find ourselves being cast into the darkness, with much moaning and gnashing of teeth.

We cannot comprehend God. We're not required to do so. We're required to have faith, to trust and to do our best, confident in the knowledge that His Grace will suffice.

8 comments:

AnonymousOctober 23, 2011 at 3:42 PM
I like this Joyce and the reference to being splattered all over the highway LOL! Bad image.

Really important what you said and it struck me: that God would not *pull the rug* so to speak, when we are at a spiritual disadvantage. We often forget about His abounding mercy! ~Theresa
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TLWOctober 23, 2011 at 7:01 PM
LOL Theresa, a little too graphic, but we never know what it's in store for us. When I read the 15 promises that Mary made to those who devoutly recite her Rosary each day, one struck me especially, and that was that we would not die an "unprovided death." For awhile I thought about what that meant, and I decided it had to do with just what I mentioned above - that God, knowing we were making a sincere effort - would not take us at our worst. On the other hand, people who are not religious frequently ask me why "only the good die young" and my response is always that it makes sense that God would give those with a lot of ground to make up ample to time to turn things around.

In the end, we don't know, so we should always be ready. We know this, but the question is how to get word to the others, who opt of their own free will not to be part of the chosen.

Thanks for commenting!
Joyce
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MannyOctober 23, 2011 at 8:44 PM
"Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen"

My mother's cousin, who's a priest, gave my adopted son a framed stitched needle-point thing with those words. The minute I see that I think of my Matthew. It's special to me.

Yeah, I've thought about how unfair it might be that one person might die the minute after confession, and a good person might die moments after a mortal sin. I hope God ultimately evaluates the whole person's life.
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PatriciaOctober 23, 2011 at 11:38 PM
Hi Joyce, I agree with Theresa about God's Mercy..truly super-abundant for us. Jesus once told St. Teresa that no one ever loses Him without tearing themselves out of His arms.

We are all poor sinners here, but I think if we are trying to love Him, even though we fall often, He will provide for us at that last moment.

A holy priest once told me that God does not look at us moment to moment, but sees our whole life all at once, and never forgets our poor efforts to love Him and to do good.

I bet He is still rejoicing over your giving away your icon of St. Michael to that poor man! : ) Jesus is so proud of you!

I'm just so happy we don't have to earn our way to Heaven...that Jesus paid the price, and He's not about to let us get away, if we throw ourselves into His arms of Mercy.

But like you, I do worry about those who seem clueless that they even have a soul... And, I wonder why I'm not among them anymore...did someone pray for me, for you?

In praise of His Mercy,
Patricia
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TLWOctober 24, 2011 at 6:10 PM
Manny, how is little Matthew doing? You should post some recent photos soon. May God bless him always.

Patricia, I truly believe that it was my maternal grandmother who looked after me from Heaven, especially because of her devotion to St. Therese and the special role The Little Flower played in my conversion.

There is a book about exorcisms called "Hostage to the Devil" by the late Malachi Martin. In one of the cases, the exorcist asks the demons how and why they chose the particular person, and they describe how they targeted him from birth but that someone appointed by Jesus kept running interference. The exorcist pressed the demons until they admitted that it was the boy's grandfather, who Jesus Himself charged with looking out for the boy. That is when I first had the realization that it was probably my grandmother who worked for my conversion. She was a very saintly woman who suffered a great deal in her life but never lost faith and I have no doubt Jesus took her home. Now we just have to pray for the clueless ones who surround us so they can see the light, too.

God Bless you for your kindness to me and for your amazing love for Our Lord.
Joyce
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PatriciaOctober 24, 2011 at 8:49 PM
Joyce, that's interesting about your grandmother. I don't doubt it.

I've always wondered about my great-aunt, who died the June preceding my most unexpected conversion experience the following March. She was our family saint--full of joy and humor, but always serving others. I will have to write a post on her one day.

Anyway, I have always had an inner sense that it was her prayers from Heaven which helped to rescue me. Can't wait to ask her one day : )
I guess now it's our turn....

Joyce, thanks for the kind words, but you are a treasure, more than you know....

Love ya,
Patricia
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MannyOctober 24, 2011 at 8:55 PM
Joyce - Matthew is doing great. Actually he's becoming the little terror. Terrible twos are for real...lol. Actually I did post a recent Matthew blog with pictures. You might have been in Italy. I'll send you the link as soon as I can. The last few days my website has been down and I can't get on. I have no idea what is going on. Thank you kindly for those blessings. I take blessings very seriously.
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TLWOctober 25, 2011 at 8:07 PM
Patricia, love you too!

Manny, yes, please send the link.
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Mary, Queen of Peace

Ever glorious and blessed Mary, Queen of Virgins, Mother of Mercy, hope and comfort of dejected and desolate souls, through that sword of sorrow which pierced thy tender heart whilst thine only Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord, suffered death and ignominy on the cross; through that filial tenderness and pure love He had for thee, grieving in thy grief, whilst from His cross He recommended thee to the care and protection of His beloved disciple, St. John, take pity, I beseech thee, on my poverty and necessities; have compassion on my anxieties and cares; assist and comfort me in all my infirmities and miseries, of every kind whatsoever. Thou art the Mother of Mercies, the sweet comforter and only refuge of the needy and the orphan, of the desolate and afflicted. Cast, therefore, an eye of pity on a miserable, forlorn child of Eve, and hear my prayer; for since, in just punishment of my sins, I find myself encompassed by a multitude of evils, and oppressed with much anguish of spirit, wither can I fly for more secure shelter, O amiable Mother of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, than under the wings of thy maternal protection? Attend, therefore, I beseech thee, with an ear of pity and compassion, to my humble and earnest request. I ask it, through the bowels of mercy of thy dear Son; Through that love and condescension wherewith He embraced our nature, when, in compliance with the divine Will, thou gavest thy consent, and whom, after the expiration of nine months thou didst bring forth from the chaste enclosure of thy womb, to visit the world, and bless it with His presence. I ask it, through that anguish of mind wherewith thy beloved Son, our dear Saviour, was overwhelmed on the Mount of Olives, when He besought His eternal Father to remove from Him, if possible, the bitter chalice of His future passion. I ask it, through the threefold repetition of His prayers in the garden, whence afterwards, with dolorous steps and mournful tears, thou didst accompany Him to the doleful theatre of His death and sufferings. I ask it, through the welts and bruises of His virginal flesh, occasioned by the cords and whips wherewith He was bound and scourged, when stripped of His seamless garment, for which His executioners afterwards cast lots. I ask it, through the scoffs and ignominies by which He was insulted; the false accusations and unjust sentence by which He was condemned to death, and which He bore with heavenly patience. I ask it, through His bitter tears and bloody sweat; His silence and resignation; His sadness and grief of heart. I ask it, through the blood which trickled from His royal and Sacred Head, when struck with the sceptre of a reed and pierced with His crown of thorns. I ask it, through the excruciating torments He suffered, when His hands and feet were fastened with gross nails to the tree of the cross. I ask it, through His vehement thirst, and bitter potion of vinegar and gall. I ask it, through His dereliction on the cross when He exclaimed, "My God! my God! why hast Thou forsaken me?" I ask it, through His mercy extended to the good thief, and through His recommending His precious soul and spirit into the hands of His eternal Father before He expired, saying, "It is consummated." I ask it, through the blood mixed with water, which issued from His Sacred Side when pierced with a lance, and whence a flood of grace and mercy has flowed to us. I ask it, through His immaculate life, bitter passion and ignominious death on the cross, at which nature itself was thrown into convulsions, by the bursting of rocks, rending of the veil of the Temple, the earthquake, and the darkness of the sun and moon. I ask it, through His descent into hell, where He confronted the Saints of the old law with His presence, and led the captivity captive. I ask it, through His glorious victory over death, when He arose again to life on the third day, and through the joy which His appearance for forty days after gave thee, His blessed Mother, His Apostles, and the rest of His Disciples; when in thine and their presence He miraculously ascended into heaven. I ask it, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, infused into the hearts of His Disciples, when He descended upon them in the form of fiery tongues, and by which they were inspired with zeal in the conversion of the world, when they went to preach the gospel. I ask it, through the awful appearance of thy Son, at the last dreadful day, when He shall come to judge the living and the dead, and the world, by fire. I ask it, through the compassion He bore thee in His life, and the unspeakable joy thou didst feel at thine assumption into heaven, where thou art eternally absorbed in the sweet contemplation of His divine perfections. O glorious and ever blessed Virgin! comfort the heart of thy supplicant, by obtaining for me, (Mention your prayer intention here...) And as I am persuaded my Divine Saviour doth honour thee as His beloved Mother, to whom He refuses nothing, because thou asketh nothing contrary to His honour, so let me speedily experience the efficacy of thy powerful intercession, according to the tenderness of thy maternal affection, and His filial loving heart, who mercifully granteth the requests and complieth with the desires of those that love and fear Him. Wherefore, O most blessed Virgin, beside the object of my present petition, and whatever else I may stand in need of, obtain for me also of thy dear Son, our Lord and our God, a lively faith, firm hope, perfect charity, true contrition of heart, unfeigned tears of compunction, sincere confession, condign satisfaction, abstinence from sin, love of God and my neighbour, contempt of the world, patience to suffer affronts and ignominies, nay, even, if necessary, an opprobrious death itself, for love of thy Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Obtain likewise for me, O sacred Mother of God, perseverance in good works, performance of good resolutions, mortification of self-will, a pious conversation through life, and, at my last moments, strong and sincere repentance, accompanied by such a lively and attentive presence of mind, as may enable me to receive the last Sacrament of the Church worthily, and die in thy friendship and favour. Lastly, obtain through thy Son, I beseech thee, for the souls of my parents, brethren, relatives and benefactors, both living and dead, life everlasting, from the only Giver of every good and perfect gift, the Lord God Almighty, to Whom be all power now and forever. Amen.

Prayer of St. Bonaventure

Pierce, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my inmost soul with the most joyous and healthful wound of Thy love, and with true, calm and most holy apostolic charity, that my soul may ever languish and melt with entire love and longing for Thee, may yearn for Thee and for thy courts, may long to be dissolved and to be with Thee.
Grant that my soul may hunger after Thee, the Bread of Angels, the refreshment of holy souls, our daily and super substantial bread, having all sweetness and savor and every delightful taste.
May my heart ever hunger after and feed upon Thee, Whom the angels desire to look upon, and may my inmost soul be filled with the sweetness of Thy savor; may it ever thirst for Thee, the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and knowledge, the fountain of eternal light, the torrent of pleasure, the fullness of the house of God;
may it ever compass Thee, seek Thee, find Thee, run to Thee, come up to Thee, meditate on Thee, speak of Thee, and do all for the praise and glory of Thy name, with humility and discretion, with love and delight, with ease and affection, with perseverance to the end; and be Thou alone ever my hope, my entire confidence, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my joy, my rest and tranquility, my peace, my sweetness, my food, my refreshment, my refuge, my help, my wisdom, my portion, my possession, my treasure; in Whom may my mind and my heart be ever fixed and firm and rooted immovably. Amen.

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God Bless You!

The Unprofitable Servant

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen

8 comments:

Mary, Queen of Peace

St Michael the Archangel

St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi

St. Teresa Benedicta of The Cross