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Writer's pictureFr. John Kirk

WEAKNESSES

WEAKNESSES – 14th Sunday Ordinary Time, Year B

            We can rejoice in our weaknesses, which remind us of our need for the grace and power of God. When the Lord sees our weaknesses and calls us beyond them, He has to supply us with the needed grace and power if we are to respond.

            Weaknesses and limitations become more apparent when we are responding to God’s calls. It’s evident to us that without some extra help or power, or strength or grace, from the Lord, we are not going to be able to carry out something, or overcome some barrier in ourselves or the circumstances,

            Ezekiel was called by the Lord to a mission that lead him to his own limits and for which he could not be successful. “The Spirit entered into me, and set me on my feet, and I heard …’Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, rebels…Hard of face…are they to whom I am sending you…” He had to learn to trust in the Lord’s power and action, over his own.

            Weaknesses are a major way for us to learn about our need for and dependence on the Lord. Weaknesses come in all areas of human life. There are the physical, the intellectual, emotional, spiritual, moral and economic ones. Every human person has them! So we need to see our weaknesses as friends that can lead us to and keep us closer to the Lord.

            Our weaknesses can be our closest friends and graces, helping us develop in all sorts of ways, that may not have been possible without them. They are the claim we have on God’s power to do what He calls us to do.

            Paul received “extra ordinary revelations” to carry out his call from the Lord. Such gifts and knowledge could have been a danger to Paul. His weaknesses protected him against pride. “In order that I might not become conceited, I was given a thorn in the flesh…to beat me and keep me from becoming proud.” Paul asked the Lord three times to take the weakness away. He was told, “My grace is sufficient for you, for in weakness power reaches perfection…” Knowing this truth led Paul to proclaim: “And so I willingly boast of my weaknesses instead, that the power of Christ may rest upon me”.

            This truth is for us too in our weaknesses. When we encounter our weaknesses, we are reminded of our need and dependence on the Lord. We can be more content with our weaknesses and limitations, and those of others. That is no small grace in life!

            With no weaknesses, we might be less sensitive to others, and less mindful of our need for the Lord. Even without weaknesses, we would need the Lord, just as we need people. Weaknesses keep us aware of our need for the Lord. Remember the song: ‘People who need people are the luckiest people of all’. It’s even truer to say: ‘People who need the Lord are the luckiest people of all’. Not everybody understands this. Some live as if they don’t need the Lord.

            Jesus didn’t get a good reception in His home town when He went into the synagogue even though He “kept His large audience amazed”. They knew Jesus as a boy, and just couldn’t understand how He could be so smart. How different it would have been if they had sensed their need for Jesus. “He could work no miracle there, apart from curing a few who were sick by laying hands on them, so much did their lack of faith distress Him.”

            The lack of faith is distressing to the Lord, and means less life for those who lack faith. The Lord’s experience is experienced in the Church in every age. What He experienced, the Church and its members also experience. Jesus grew in faith in His Father in heaven. We too are to grow in faith when the Lord is not seen or responded to in us. Jesus kept faith. “He made the rounds of the neighboring villages instead, and spent His time teaching.” The lack of faith of others can lead to a stronger sense in the faithful of their need for the Lord. “Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for mercy.”

            We can say with Paul: “Therefore, I am content with weakness…mistreatment…distress... difficulties for the sake of Christ; for when I am powerless, it is then that I am strong”. Stay weak!

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