Over the past few weeks, I have thought deeply about my relationship with God. Prompted by the Baptism of the Lord celebrated at the end of the Christmas season, the opening unit for a course I'm teaching about Ministry in Catholic Schools, and the movie Encanto (what is Maribel's gift?, Bruno seems to be a prophet who is not accepted in his native place, everyone's gifts need to work together and work for the good of others) my reflections have centered on my own baptism, my gifts (or charisms), and my ministry.
Christ grafts us onto His Mystical Body at our Baptisms. We become new creations, imbued with the Holy Spirit in a way that sets us apart for a particular purpose. Blessed with unique and supernatural gifts - charisms - Christ transforms us.
This type of transformation entails more than just a change of habits, routines, and/or lifestyle. To loosely use a scientific connection, we undergo a chemical change instead of a mere physical one. We don't just change states, like when liquid water freezes to become ice. Our transformation occurs in our very being; our substance changes from a mere human being into a beloved child of God with whom God is well pleased (cf. Luke 3:22).
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As a part of God's royal bloodline, He calls us to take part in the family business. "All of the baptized are called to work toward the transformation of the world" (USCCB, 2005, p. 8). We are invited by the "Risen Lord" to "labor in his vineyard, that is, in a world that must be transformed in a view of the final coming of the Reign of God; and the Holy Spirit empowers all with the various gifts and ministries for the building up of the Body of Christ" (USCCB, 2005, p. 7). Our ministry as baptized Christians participates "in the threefold ministry of Christ, who is priest, prophet, and king" (USCCB, 2005, p. 7).
As members of the Body of Christ, we form Christ's hands, feet, voice, and ongoing ministry in the world today.
And, as members of God's family, we all have unique purposes and gifts that, when united with each other and with Christ, carry out the work of salvation. This unity does not mean "uniformity, but an organic blending of legitimate diversities" (St. John Paul II, 2001, #46). As St. Paul writes to the Corinthians:
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit...To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another, the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another, faith by the same Spirit; to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another, mighty deeds; to another, prophecy; to another, discernment of spirits; to another, varieties of tongues; to another, interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.
You have unique gifts that Christ needs you to develop, harness, and share with the world. We all do, even if our gifts don't seem to be as flashy or powerful as others'.
As we take up the mantle of Christ's mission of salvation, we will come to see our need to coordinate with others. This work requires diversity in ministry and unity in mission. “(C)ommunion and mission are profoundly connected with each other, they interpenetrate and mutually imply each other…communion represents both the source and fruit of mission: communion gives rise to mission and mission is accomplished in communion” (St. John Paul II, 1998, #32).
May the Holy Spirit burst into our lives, burn within our hearts, and propel us to offer our gifts of transformation.
References:
- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2005). Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord: A resource for guiding the development of lay ecclesial ministry. https://www.usccb.org/upload/co-workers-vineyard-lay-ecclesial-ministry-2005.pdf
- St. John Paul II. (1998). Christifideles Laici. https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_30121988_christifideles-laici.html
- St. John Paul II. (2001). Novo Millennio Ineunte. https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/2001/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_20010106_novo-millennio-ineunte.html
