Baptised with the Holy Spirit (today’s readings), we received graces like a battery fully charged, ready to discharge at the moment of choice. We believe that we are individually called; invited actually by name to be baptised. We are privileged to be chosen and by this power of the Holy Spirit, we are graced to choose.

We are privileged not because we enjoy immediate salvation of an unconditional entry into heaven but rather we are chosen to be an active servant in God’s salvation plan. We are baptised into a mission and privileged to be empowered, “I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth”. We are given the graces to make a meaningful difference to people around us, this mission to touch lives.

Through the sacrament of baptism, we are like a rechargeable battery full of graces. This power remains dormant in us until we use our free will to respond to the commissioning call of the Spirit when we say, “Here I am, Lord: I come to do your will”. We respond not with mere words but by the life we are graced to live.

When free will becomes God’s will, we become agents of salvation and through our willingness, God’s graces flow. Through our baptism, we have become earthen vessels of grace. The Spirit leads us into the lives of others and through acts in daily life, we make an impact on them.

We are graced to choose the lifestyle of our shepherd, he himself the “Lamb of God”. And it is through us that others can be touched by the love he came to share. We are missioned to be “John the Baptist” in the life we live, with it pointing out, “Behold, there is the Lamb of God.”

Being lamb, is being sacrificial. To be sacrificial is to go against the grain of worldly life. But to be lamb in spiritual life is redemptive. Like the wheat grain that has to die to give life, baptism harbours this grace in us to die to self so as to light up the lives of others. With this rhythm of dying and rising, salvation will come for all of us.

Usually the opportunities to touch lives come in simple and unassuming little acts. Just this week, our community experienced the sudden death of one of our members. She was physically impaired and we first encountered her only 8 months ago. Her presence was a blessing to our community, her smile an affirmation for the little things we did. In us she found welcome and acceptance. Little did we know that God was preparing her dying and her rising. In these last 8 months of her worldly journey we were human angels forming her guard of honour, lighting the path into her final rest and peace at last. We were graced to mission.

Such is our privilege. Indeed we are privileged to be chosen and graced to choose to say “Here I am, Lord: I come to do your will”. In the moments we choose to do what is good, God’s graces will accompany all our choices.

 

Second Sunday of Ordinary Time