Stay in my love, that your joy may be full. Reading and meditation on the Word of on Thursday of the 5th week of Easter, May 6, 2021. Reading is delivered by Andi Situmorang and meditation delivered by Dermawan Intiardy, from Saint Peter’s School in Jakarta, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 15: 7-21; Rs psalm 96: 1-2a.2b-3.10; John 15: 9-11.
I HAVE CHOSEN YOU
The theme for our meditation today is: I Have Chosen You. Each of us has our own experience of choosing God for us. A monk ponders endlessly in his life how meaningful God’s words to him: “I have chosen you”. Husbands or wives also often write in each other’s mind, how God has set their mate: “I have made you a partner for him”.
The awareness and belief in this election is often interpreted as a calling to life. Everyone can reflect on this so that he will always know that God has actually chosen him for the choice or calling of life that is and will be lived. An elementary school teacher friend often feels jealous because his friends who used to choose a better fate at this time, because his profession is much higher. But the teacher had to return to being realistic that her calling as a teacher was enough to make her feel comfortable and believe that God had ordained it for her.
That is a calling and life’s destiny that is always attached to each of us. We are actually living God’s very strong words about this, namely the words of Jesus Himself: I have chosen you out of this world. God chose us not to make us great, successful, or extremely influential politically, economically, socially, and culturally. He chose us from this world so that we could become persons who bear the label “Christ”, and then our life and work at every level of life truly reveals Christ’s identity.
So whatever choice, calling, or profession that we believe to be God’s election, we see as a gift and we are always grateful. Conversely, if our lives only contain complaints, jealousy, dissatisfaction, regret, and despair at God’s choice of us, this could be a sign that we have not heed God’s words earlier: “I have chosen you”. In addition, as elect, whatever our profession or calling, the spirit of service in love must not be lost on us. God chooses us free of charge, so we also need to be kind and generous to others.
Saint Paul and his traveling companions set an example of generosity as the elect. They were summoned to cross into Macedonia, knowing very well that these people and regions also had the right to receive the ministry of the joyful news of Christ. Indeed, we have received free, then we will share freely as well.
Let’s pray. In the name of the Father … O dear Father, bless us that we may always be kind and generous. Our Father … In the name …
