Fr Peter Harris
wonder how often we rush to a conclusion and, as a result, stop someone from doing something that actually would have been much better done? It is an interesting question and we find it this weekend in two of our Sunday readings. It is, of course, part of our presumption that we are sometimes tempted to think we know better. Dear Lord, what damage we can find ourselves doing to the work of the Holy Spirit.
God doesn’t want to stifle our dreams but, rather, wants to nurture us and help us to dream the dreams that he gave us when he created each of us. How wonderful it is to help people to fulfil their dreams and believe in themselves and know that God is with them.
There is a wonderful little meditation with God speaking personally to each of us. Someone gave it to me years ago and I commend it to you:
know you. I created you. I am creating you.
I have loved you from your mother’s womb. You
have fled – as you now know – from my love. But
I love you nevertheless and not-the-less and,
however far you flee, it is I who sustain your very
power of fleeing, and I will never finally let you go.
I accept you as you are. You are forgiven. I know
all your sufferings. I have always known them.
For beyond your understanding, when you suffer,
I suffer. I also know all of the little tricks by which
you try to hide the ugliness you have made of your
life from yourself and others. But you are beautiful.
You are beautiful more deeply within than you can
see. You are beautiful because you yourself, in
the unique one that only you are, reflect already
something of the beauty of my holiness in a way
which shall never end. You are beautiful also
because I, and I alone, see the beauty you shall
become. Through the transforming power of my
love you shall become perfectly beautiful. You
shall become perfectly beautiful in a uniquely
irreplaceable way, which neither you nor I will
work out alone. For we shall work it out together.
CHARLES K. ROBINSON