2 September 2020
Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week of Ordinary time
There are many challenges found in the scriptures but few beat Paul’s recognition as our status as Christians: “For we are God’s co-workers.” Most projects require a team, and it is not unusual that time and energy is spent compiling the best team. The recognition that we are co-workers with God certainly is an honor, but even more it is an expectation. It certainly is astounding when you think of God’s choice…. In this short phrase Paul summarizes the mystery of the Christian vocation. Although, “all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God” (Romans 3:23), God still calls us to participate in His divine life and requests that we be co-workers in bringing men and women to Him through the Heart of Christ. Those familiar with story of St. Ignatius are familiar with his vision at La Storta in which God the Father places the founder of the Jesuits with Christ in order that he may work with that same Christ to bring men and women to God. The dignity of that call is enormous. It implies that all men and women are dignified because of both their call and that they were redeemed. It was for this reason the Jesuits saw no distinction of race or color in the human person in their missionary work. Since all were called and all redeemed, all were equal in the eyes of God. Ignatius would see racial tension and prejudice as nothing short of a denial of the divine plan.