By Sr. Mary Thadavanal msmhc –
“For we are God’s Handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph 2:10). What volumes of God’s goodness this profound truth speaks!
It is about every one of us and the good works we are engaged in. What dignified species we are, fashioned by God himself, in Christ Jesus to do ‘good works’ fashioned by him as well!
Even before we were born, God had already planned our works, our collaborators, work circumstances, the frame of mind that would best suit the accomplishment of the works designed for us, dreamt of the union of our hearts with his and our lives impacting other lives drawing them to oneness with HIM in time and enjoying all eternity what ‘no eye has seen, no ear has heard and no mind ever grasps’; yes, all details are in his master plan.
For the realization of his dream, he has endowed us with the right measure of intelligence, the strength of mind and will, of body and soul, and the freedom to reflect and choose. At this moment what we are engaged in has been planned by God even before we were born. Perhaps what some of us are doing may not be what he has intended! If that is true, how unfortunate it is!
God’s work and Human responsibility
The way to achieve the goal envisioned by God is by following Jesus the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jn 14:6). He is the only way that will reach our goal of life, the only truth about ourselves, and the only life that doesn’t die. It is enough to take some time off to watch Jesus, for he said to ‘watch’, to know his person, his lifestyle, his priorities, his values, and stay close to him to understand how he interiorized his Father’s vision for him and the humanity and fulfilled it to perfection. “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for whatever you please and you will get it (Jn 15:5,7). How to remain in him? “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in that person” (Jn 6: 56); “If you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (Jn 6:53), “for my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink” (Jn 6: 55). As the living Father sent me and I draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will also draw life from me” Jn 53, 55-57.
When we eat the flesh of Jesus Christ and drink his blood with irresistible longing we get absorbed into him losing our nature and putting on his nature; thus being in Jesus we draw life from him as he draws life from the Father.
An image that comes to me is the baby in the womb drawing life from the mother; the mother breathing for the baby. Henceforth it is his spirit that urges us on, his values that motivate us, and his yearnings that vibrate our hearts. His living Word lights up our paths and strengthens our wills. Fortified thus, we spring into action doing the “good works God has prepared in advance” for us to do, facing all odds with serenity, turning all challenges into opportunities, lifting all drooping spirits in humans injecting new hope, befriending the alone and lonely.
Tomorrow: Part II: Lessons From Human History
Sr. Mary Thadavanal MSMHC is former Mother General of MSMHC Congregation