Thank you for the reference to the parable of the invited guests.
I find this to be true, that one starts with the heart, mind and attitude of a servant.
You altar serve, and one day, after a few months or even a few years of being a good, faithful, reverent, dignified and reliable server, Father turns to you and says, “What do you think about such-and-such?” And the door is opened. You have built trust through faithfulness as a servant, and the door opens.
King David’s brother’s were in the tent with Samuel. seeking to be annointed king. David was in the field, working, doing his job, paying attention to his responsibilities, tending to the sheep, while his brother’s were in the tent yelling “Pick me! Pick me!”, and we know who was picked.
I remember the story of a Vietnamese orphanage… They learned that someone was coming to adopt one of the kids. An eight year old girl was busy bathing and dressing the two and three year old children so that they would make a nice impression, so that they would be picked, when the couple arrived. They saw the eight year old, dirty, in ripped clothes, bathing and dressing the others so that they had a chance, and they picked the eight year old.
Someone on another thread wrote about staging a parish “take over.” They bragged how a group of people had muscled their way into heading up RCIA, PSR and other key ministries in order to place what they believed were more orthodox people in charge. But that’s no way to build trust and I’ll bet those people are always looking over their shoulder. My way or the highway is no way to build a kingdom.
His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy. (Matthew 25:21)
It’s true. I really should find time to read the life of St. Francis.
-Tim-