Echoing God’s “Yes”: Embracing Your Chosen Existence
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
Job 38-9
Who pent up the sea with doors, when it burst forth from the womb; when I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling bands? When I set limits for it and put it in bars and doors, and said: Thus far shall you come but no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stilled! Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning and shown the dawn its place, that it might seize the ends of the earth, and shake the wicked from their places? The earth is changed as is clay by the seal; things stand forth as in a garment. From the wicked their light is withheld, and the uplifted arm is broken. Have you entered the storehouse of the snow, or seen the storehouse of the hail, which I have reserved for times of trouble, for the day of warfare and battle? By what way is the light distributed, or the east wind scattered over the earth? Who has cleft a channel for the downpour, or a path for the thunderbolt, to water a land without trees, a desert without human presence; to satisfy the desolate wasteland and make the parched earth bring forth verdure? Has the rain a father? Or who has begotten the drops of dew? From whose womb comes the ice, and who gives the hoarfrost its birth in the heavens, when the waters become hard as stone, and the surface of the deep is frozen? Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades, or loosen the cords of Orion? Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season, or guide the Bear with its cubs? Do you know the ordinances of the heavens; can you put into effect their plan on the earth? Can you raise your voice among the clouds, so that a deluge of waters shall cover you? Can you send forth the lightning bolts, so that they go and say to you, “Here we are”? Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars, stretching out its wings toward the south? Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up, to build its nest on high? It dwells on the rock, and has its lodging on the crag of the cliff, the stronghold. From thence it surveys its prey, its eyes behold it afar off. Its young ones suck up blood; and where the slain are, there is it.
Grace Prayed For
The scripture passage prompts us to pray for the grace of profound gratitude for our unique and intentional creation by God, and the courage to live fully into the divine purpose for which we were made.
Reflection
In these magnificent verses from Job, we are not merely presented with a cosmic display of God’s power; we are invited into the very heart of creation, a heart that beats with intentionality and profound love. Imagine for a moment, standing beside the Creator as He “pents up the sea with doors,” as He “makes the clouds its garment and thick darkness its swaddling bands.” This is not a distant, abstract God, but one intimately involved in the shaping of all things, from the mightiest ocean to the smallest drop of dew.
Now, consider that same divine intentionality applied to you, to me, to each unique soul. Just as God set limits for the proud waves and showed the dawn its place, so too has He meticulously woven the fabric of your being. Your existence is not a cosmic accident, but a deliberate act of love, a “choosing to make you.” This passage dismantles any notion of our insignificance. We are not just creatures, but creations, individually fashioned with purpose and placed within a world meticulously designed.
To say “Yes” to our existence, then, is to echo the divine “Yes” that brought us forth. It is to embrace the intricate details of our personality, our gifts, our very form, knowing that each facet was intentionally crafted. This isn’t about human pride, but about divine affirmation. When we truly grasp this, our heart expands, filled with gratitude and awe for the Artist who continues to breathe life into us.
This profound truth about our individual creation is not meant to be hoarded. Just as God orchestrates the elements to water the desolate wasteland and make the parched earth bring forth verdure, so too are we called to bring life and truth to the world. Our “stronger Yes” to our own existence empowers us to recognize the same divine spark in every person we encounter. Imagine approaching each interaction, each conversation, with the deep knowing that the person before you is also “chosen to be made” by God. This transforms our encounters, fostering empathy, compassion, and a profound respect for the inherent dignity of every human being. We become instruments of God’s ongoing creation, participating in His mission to bring forth beauty, truth, and love in every corner of the earth, one encounter at a time. This is how we take this message into the world, not as a mere concept, but as a living, breathing reality, illuminated by the light of our own divinely affirmed being.
Growing in Intimacy/Union with Jesus
This passage, by revealing the meticulous and loving nature of God the Father as Creator, naturally draws us into greater intimacy with Jesus. Jesus, as the Word made flesh, is the ultimate expression of the Father’s creative love. In Him, “all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible… all things were created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16). Understanding the Father’s deep desire to “make us” allows us to see Jesus not just as our Redeemer, but as the very embodiment of the Father’s creative design for humanity. Our “stronger Yes” to our existence becomes a “stronger Yes” to the one through whom and for whom we were made, solidifying our bond with Him as both Creator and Savior.
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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