Your ‘yes’ Matters!
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to love God and care for others. When we say ‘yes’ to God, we say ‘yes’ to this mission of love. As laypersons of the Church, we have a preeminent responsibility to act with charity. This is hard to fulfill without the grace of God, which often calls for a transformation of the heart. Wait, doesn’t layperson mean that we all lay down and let the priests do all the work for us? On the contrary, our responsibility is a very active role to play.
In the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity written by Pope Paul VI in 1965, we’re told that “through charity, which is the Lord’s greatest commandment, all the faithful are impelled to promote the glory of God through the coming of His kingdom, and to obtain eternal life for all people that they may know the only true God and Him whom He sent, Jesus Christ.”
Through the Sacraments, specifically Mass and Reconciliation, as well as prayer and service, we come to know Christ. The more we spend time with Him, the more we fall in love with Him. Our love becomes intimate and can even be intense, so much so that we can’t help but share His Divine Love with others. The Decree goes on to say, “On all Christians therefore is laid the preeminent responsibility of working to make the divine message of salvation known and accepted by all people throughout the world.”
Preeminent – or above all else - is a towering responsibility. I’m sure all of us have a desire to be good Christians. But to take on such a big responsibility feels overwhelming, right?! Maybe you’re thinking, “I’m not good enough.” Perhaps you’ve muttered, “I don’t have the right skills.” Or you think, “I don’t have time.”
I get it. I’ve been there too. But the truth is God’s grace makes us worthy, as He reminds us in Scripture, “we can do all things in Christ who strengthens us” (Philippians 4:13). We trust in God that He equips us with the gifts we need to do His Will.
Staff leads a Called & Gifted Workshop at the Co-Cathedral in Rochester.
In a desire to venture deeper into my role as a layperson, I participated in the Called & Gifted program offered by the Catherine of Siena Institute. This program is a multi-month guided discernment process for learning about one’s gifts and listening to God’s call for sharing those gifts with others, so they may experience the love and mercy of Jesus. From my discernment, I discovered I have the gifts of administration and knowledge, which I’m sharing with our parish through a program called the All Saints Club. I’m the volunteer coordinator.
The program is designed to introduce participants to the saints through a presentation by a guest speaker as well as foster small group discussion and prayer. The format invites participants to encounter Christ through the saints and one another. The hope is that they will be inspired to go forth and live happy, healthy, holy lives for Christ. Called & Gifted pointed out that each person has a unique gift mix, and every person is vital to carrying out Christ’s mission of love. Combined with the gifts of others, we, as the Body of Christ, do well to build up His kingdom.
If you’re thinking that this all sounds great but also seems like burdensome work, dispel that thought. I admit that I struggled with this thought as well. I’m a busy bee with a full schedule. How could I possibly take on more work by coordinating the All Saints Club program?
But I couldn’t deny God. I jumped into the role and was pleasantly surprised. The joyful satisfaction I get every time I’m working on All Saints Club is anything but a burden. I’ve learned a lot about saints and fellow parishioners who have personal connections to their saint friends. Their stories have inspired me and filled me with hope. I’ve also had the joy of meeting new people and developing new friendships that point me to Christ. These blessings wouldn’t have been received were it not for my “yes” in response to God’s call to share my gifts of administration and knowledge.
The Called & Gifted program is a fruitful experience that I highly recommend to anyone who wants to live a deeper meaning of your calling as a layperson in our Catholic Church. It’s a beautiful way to say ‘yes’ to God. You can check the bulletin for upcoming opportunities to participate in Called & Gifted. Or contact Michelle Budraka at mbudraka@sj.org, You can also look out for our next All Saints Club on November 10th after the 9:30am Mass.
Melissa Schmid