PLUG IN

PLUG IN – 28^th Sunday Ordinary Time, Year C

            To realize God’s power in our lives, we have to put forth our response and resources. We see the pattern repeated in the Scriptures and in our lives. God’s power unites with limited human responses. Naaman the leper had to put forth the energy to bathe seven times in the Jordan for God’s healing power to work. The lepers had to call out “Jesus, Master, have pity on us”, and follow the Lord’s word to go and show themselves to the priests to be healed. The healed leper had to come back to give thanks for his healing, to receive the greater healing of salvation in Jesus. Paul had to proclaim the un-chainable Word of God from his chains in prison. God’s great power is unleashed by the called for human response, and apparently blocked otherwise in many circumstances.

            If we want the power of prayer to work in our lives, we have to use our human resources to pray. If we want the power of God’s forgiveness to work in our lives, we have to repent, confess our sins, and avoid what leads to sin. If we want the power of God’s healing to work in our lives, we have to struggle against sickness, and use natural means to be healed, as well as prayer. If we want the great promises of stewardship, we have to follow the principles of stewardship.

            Whatever we want the Lord to do in our life, we have to be willing to do our part. Often what is lacking is our willingness to engage, “plug into”, the power. Or it could be the unwillingness of someone else to do their part, to bring about what is needed. God has chosen to work through peoples’ responses. Others (we) suffer when we (others) don’t provide the resources the Lord has given to use for some work of His.

            The power breakdown is on the human side. Naaman had to provide for the taking of the seven baths. The Lord provided for the healing. The ten lepers had to provide for the walk to the priests. The Lord provides the major resources. Humans may only provide one percent of a thousand percent, but it’s necessary to bring about the desired result. All have resources the Lord has given, which we may not always use or know how to use, or may not want to use, which joined to the power of God could bring about great works.

            God may be accused of withholding His power and resources in a certain set of circumstances. A closer look reveals that God’s resources and power are available. But we, or someone else, are withholding ours. All sorts of electric power can be available to us, but unless we plug in the cord and turn the switch, the lights won’t come on, and the power can’t work. The lack is not in the shortage of electric power nor the fixture, but in the failure to turn the switch. Our resources which come from the Lord, in comparison to God’s, are very small, just as the lamp’s resources to the power of electricity, but necessary and important.

            The Lord provided the cure for Naaman’s leprosy on condition he plunge into the Jordan seven times. And before that it was necessary for the servant girl to tell him about Elisha the prophet. We can’t expect God to come in and supply what He has already provided for us in the situation. When the time comes to do something, we can’t withhold our response, and expect God to do everything. If we don’t respond, it’s not going to happen. In the ordinary course of events the Lord seems to provide the raw materials in the form of what we have as humans, and then when we use them, His saving power works. He seems to say: “You do your part, and I’ll do mine”. A deal we can but shouldn’t refuse.

            On the one hand, we have so little power and resources. Yet our decision not to use them prevents God’s power from working. The decision to use them makes God’s power operative. What do you have that by its use activates the power of God? “The Lord has revealed to the nations His saving power.” The realization of God’s greater power and resources being released, by being united to human power and responses, can motivate us to use our lesser powers and resources more frequently in faith, even if the cost is high.

            Paul said: “I bear this…for the sake of those chosen…You can depend on this: If we have died with Him we shall also live with Him”.

Reflection of Divine Mercy #872

“…a soul should be faithful to prayer despite torments, dryness, and temptations; because oftentimes the realization of God’s great plans depends mainly on such prayer.”