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Here I Am, Send Me: Responding to God’s Call
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
Isaiah 6:1-10
In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, with the train of his garment filling the temple. Seraphim were stationed above; each of them had six wings: with two they veiled their faces, with two they veiled their feet, and with two they flew. They cried one to the other, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts! All the earth is filled with his glory!” The thresholds of the doors shook at the sound of the one who called as the house filled with smoke.
Then I said, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, holding an ember which he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with it. “See,” he said, “now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin is purged.”
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?”
“Here I am,” I said; “send me!”
And he said, “Go and say to this people: Listen carefully, but do not understand! Look intently, but do not perceive! Make the heart of this people sluggish, dull their ears and close their eyes: so that they will not see with their eyes, or hear with their ears, or understand with their heart, and be converted and healed.”
“How long, O Lord?” I asked.
And he replied, “Until the cities are devastated, without inhabitants, and the houses are without a soul, and the land is a desolate waste. Until the LORD drives the people far away, and a great emptiness takes possession of the land. If it still has a tenth part, it will be subject to burning again. As a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled, a holy seed is its stump!”
Grace Prayed For
The grace this passage prompts us to pray for is the grace of courageous generosity. It’s the grace to say, “Here I am, send me,” even when we feel unworthy or when the mission seems daunting. It is the grace to move beyond our own fears and insecurities and respond to God’s call with an open heart, just as Isaiah did.
Reflection
Imagine yourself in Isaiah’s place. You’re in a time of uncertainty, as the king has just died. Suddenly, you’re not in the normal world anymore. You’re in God’s world. The vision Isaiah has is overwhelming—the Lord is enthroned, holy, and surrounded by seraphim. This isn’t just a picture; it’s an encounter. It’s the kind of moment that shatters your previous reality and exposes your deepest truths. Isaiah’s immediate reaction isn’t one of joy or excitement, but of profound inadequacy. “Woe is me! I am a man of unclean lips.” He sees his own brokenness in the face of God’s overwhelming holiness. This is a crucial first step in any spiritual journey: recognizing that we can’t do this on our own. It’s a humbling moment of truth.
But God doesn’t leave him there. A seraph touches Isaiah’s lips with a burning coal, symbolizing a purification and forgiveness. This act of grace shows us that before God sends us on any mission, He first heals and purifies us. He meets us in our unworthiness not to condemn us, but to prepare us. This is what Jesus does for us every day. He sees our imperfections, our failures, and our brokenness, and He offers us His grace, His forgiveness, and His love. In the same way, He wants to make us clean so we can be worthy to be in relationship with Him and to do His work in the world. This is the heart of intimacy with the Trinitarian God—being seen, known, and loved so completely that our past mistakes no longer define us.
Then comes the call. After Isaiah is purified, he hears the most beautiful, terrifying question: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” God isn’t demanding a volunteer; He’s inviting a partner. This isn’t about God needing us, but about God wanting us to co-create with Him. Isaiah’s response is immediate and heartfelt: “Here I am. Send me!” It’s a response born of gratitude and a new understanding of his place in the world. He’s no longer focused on his own limitations (“unclean lips”) but on the mission God has prepared for him. This is the call beyond ourselves—the invitation to move from self-preoccupation to a life of mission.
This mission extends to every person we meet. Every encounter, every conversation, every smile, is an opportunity to be a witness to the Jesus who has transformed our lives. Jesus has called us beyond ourselves by first loving us completely, even in our brokenness, and then empowering us with His grace. He’s not just a figure from a book; He is a living presence who has impacted our lives profoundly, offering purpose, forgiveness, and a path to true freedom.
Announcing Jesus in Our Lives
Our Baptismal mission is to partner with Jesus in restoring all of creation, and we can fulfill this mission in simple, yet profound, ways in our daily lives.
Pray for others: Make it a daily practice to pray for the people you encounter—your coworkers, the cashier at the grocery store, the people in your community. Praying for others silently or even asking them if you can pray for them (if appropriate) is a simple way to bring Jesus into every situation.
Be a good listener: The first step to evangelization isn’t speaking, but listening. Take the time to genuinely hear people’s stories, their joys, and their struggles. By listening with empathy, we demonstrate God’s love and create a space for real connection.
Share your story: Don’t be afraid to share how Jesus has impacted your life. You don’t need a formal speech. Simply and naturally share how your faith has helped you through a difficult time, brought you peace, or given you purpose. For example, “I was really struggling with that, but my faith in Jesus has given me so much peace about it.”
Perform acts of service: Simple acts of kindness, such as helping a neighbor, volunteering, or even just offering a smile and a kind word, are powerful witnesses to the Gospel. These actions show that Jesus’ love is active and real in the world. We are called to be Jesus to others.
Practice forgiveness: When someone wrongs you, respond with forgiveness and mercy, mirroring the forgiveness Jesus has shown us. This is a radical and powerful form of evangelization that speaks volumes without a single word.
When Time Allows Reflect on the Posts in Library and Musings
Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post