Just a word before we go...Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time...Sunday, February 6, 2022
Have you ever wondered how it is that great things are accomplished through ordinary people and circumstances? We see in today’s readings that God broke through the reluctance and fears of unworthiness of Isaiah, Paul and Peter, albeit in different fashions. St. John Henry Newman wrote that nothing would be accomplished at all if a person waited until he or she could do something so well that no one could find fault with it. Think of the times that God asked something seemingly impossible of others of our ancestors in faith...think Mary’s yes, Moses’ acceptance to lead the Israelites, David fighting against Goliath…. the list goes on.
What these examples have in common is that they responded to the invitation of the Lord, despite being aware of their own shortcomings, be those of age, or talent, or training. They listened, they obeyed, they were transformed in the process. And they became a blessing to us all.
We don’t have to look far to find similar examples of faith. Here, in our own parish, one stands out clearly. A parishioner, accomplished in many areas but admittedly not in farming, was inspired with the idea of starting a garden on the parish grounds to provide fresh vegetables to the Merton Center. The brilliance of the idea quickly became apparent as this parishioner...let’s call him Jerry...gathered other volunteers, some, but not all of whom, are part of the parish S A V E group (St. Anthony’s Values the Environment). This group tilled and planted and built a fence around and cared for and watered and weeded the raised beds that constitute that garden. Produce was harvested and, along with the excess from other parishioners’ backyards, delivered to Merton Center to feed their clients. Great story, right? There’s more...having read about the grants being offered by the Catholic Climate Covenant to Catholic institutions that were pursuing projects of benefit to the earth, the merry band of gardeners applied for such a grant. It was recently announced that St. Anthony’s Resurrection Garden has been awarded one of the $1,000. grants...the only parish in the state of Connecticut to do so! Congratulations to Jerry and to all who have worked on or supported this garden in any way! But, there’s more...spurred on by their work and their camaraderie, the group has tended other gardens on the property as well as planted over 400 daffodil bulbs along the walkways to the church. Some members of the group are not parishioners but are engaged in the vision of community and helping those in need, that the gardening group represents. Seeds are being collected for the Spring, plans are being made for a pollinator garden...the possibilities continue to unfold.
An abundance of fish, indeed!
It seems to be that by listening for the invitation to the “more,” and responding in the affirmative, aware of our limitations but trusting in God, we provide room for the Lord to work. The nature of God’s holiness is so powerful that it can overcome our hesitation, our feelings of unworthiness or our fear of failure. That holiness cuts through our worry and invites us to step forward...to hear the call and say “yes,” and leave the rest to God.
