When I was little our parish had a Ugandan priest come and visit. The families in our parish took turns inviting him to dinner. When it was our family’s turn my parents, in their usual fashion, went all out. They provided a big meal complete with t-bone steaks. In a story that is now etched in the annals of our family history, Fr. Matthew looked at the steak on his plate and asked how many pieces he should cut it into to share. My dad smiled and said, “No, it’s all for you, Father.” His eyes widened. Back home his one t-bone steak would have fed an entire family. Fr. Matthew ate that steak until only a clean, white bone was left.
What I take away from this story is an extreme gratitude and knowledge of the gifts God gives. In our parish community how easy is it to forget the gifts we have been given? In a sense we are surrounded by “t-bone steaks” and sometimes forget to appreciate the immensity of our gifts – our charismatic Catholic parish itself, perpetual Adoration, praise and worship, classes on how to grow in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the gift of tongues all around…the list is endless and the gifts are HUGE. When was the last time we spiritually “ate the steak to the bone?” None of the meat of spiritual gifts has to be saved for later. The Holy Spirit is just waiting to give us more. Truth be told, I am the guiltiest party in all of this. I have been given gifts galore and have done practically nothing with them. So let us pray together:
O God I seek your face and ask with humility and love that you
help me realize how great and wonderful all your gifts are and how
abundant they are in my life. Sweet Jesus, I beg you to help me use
the gifts you have given me every day, every hour so that your Holy
Name will be praised. Mother Mary, I ask that you intercede and
pray for me in this venture today and every day.
Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen.
Tirienne Leonard is Upper Room’s Young Adult Outreach Director.
