An Exhortation

Each week I fellowship with a two different groups of men –all of us part of the laity of our church – and who clearly love the Lord. Each week we use our varied gifts to teach and exhort and challenge others in our journey of Christian faith.

Sometimes I think some of us forget that God has not chosen ONLY the clergy and other professional religious folk to do the work of teaching and evangelism.  He did not empower ONLY the church hierarchy the proclaim the message of  the gospel.  He left that commission with all of His children of faith in Jesus.  Here, for example, is what St. Peter proclaimed to the crowds in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost:

“But his is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel: ¹⁷ ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says, ‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams; 18 Even on My bondslaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit And they shall prophesy.”

Did you catch that?  All flesh. Old and young. Slaves, too. And women.  All flesh. Not just the 'professionals'.

Of course, with God’s promise comes the responsibility that we each walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. To please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in our knowledge of God – which we do primarily through reading and studying His Scriptures -- and for those of us who are Catholic -- the reception of the Sacraments..

God’s promise for service is for you. And me.

 Don’t let anyone rob you of that privilege -- and that gift.