YOUR Importance in the Scheme of Things

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HagiaSophia

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I believe von Balthasar wrote the following for those of us in the Catholic community who wonder what part we play as individuals in the tapestry of faith and things as the world swirls by us. We are not movers and shakers in the diocese, in the parish, nor in the hierarrchy. Rome wouldn’t know our names if they were called out.

We wonder some days “is there anybody there, does anybody care”? These words are to remind us of God’s plan for our lives, our spirituality, our faith service:

"…In other lands there are millions who are starving, who work themselves to death for a derisory day’s wage, heartlessly exploited like cattle. There too are the slaughtered peoples whose wars cannot end because certain interests (which are not theirs) are tied up with the continuance of their misery. And I know that all my talk about progress and mankind’s liberation will be dismissed with laughter and mockery by all the realistic forecasters of mankind’s next few decades. Indeed, I only need to open my eyes and ears, and I shall hear the cry of those unjustly oppressed growing louder every day, along with the clamor of those who are resolved to gain power at any price, through hatred and annihilation. These are the superpowers of darkness; in the face of them all our courage drains away, and we lose all belief in the mission that resides in our hearts, that mission that was once so bright, joyous and peace bringing; we lose all hope of really finding the poor Child wrapped in swaddling clothes. What can my pitiful mission achieve, this drop of water in the white-hot furnace? What is the point of my efforts, my dedication, my sacrifice, my pleading to God for a world that is resolved to perish?

From a worldly point of view everything may seem very dark; your dedication may seem unproductive and a failure. But do not be afraid: you are on God’s path.

“Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you Good News of a great joy… This day is born the Savior”, that is, he who, as Son of God and Son of the Father, has traveled (in obedience to the Father) the path that leads away from the Father and into the darkness of the world. Behind him omnipotence and freedom; before, powerlessness, bonds and obedience. Behind him the comprehensive divine vision; before him the prospect of the meaninglessness of death on the Cross between two criminals, Behind him the bliss of life with the Father; before him, grievous solidarity with all who do not know the Father, do not want to know him and deny his existence. Rejoice then, for God himself has passed this way! The Son took with him the awareness of doing the Father’s will. He took with him the unceasing prayer that the Father’s will would be done on the dark earth as in the brightness of heaven. He took with him his rejoicing that the Father had hidden these things from the wise and revealed them to babes, to the simple and the poor. “I am the way”, and this way is “the truth” for you; along this way you will find “the life”. Along “the way” that I am you will learn to lose your life in order to find it; you will learn to grow beyond yourselves and your insincerity into a truth that is greater than you are.** From a worldly point of view everything may seem very dark; your dedication may seem unproductive and a failure. But do not be afraid: you are on God’s path. “Let not your hearts be troubled: believe in God; believe also in me.” I am walking on ahead of you and blazing the trail of Christian love for you. It leads to your most inaccessible brother, the person most forsaken by God. But it is the path of divine love itself. You are on the right path. All who deny themselves in order to carry out love’s commission are on the right path.**

Miracles happen along this path. Apparently insignificant miracles, noticed by hardly anyone. The very finding of a Child wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger—is this not a miracle in itself? Then there is the miracle when a particular mission, hidden in a person’s heart, really reaches its goal, bringing God’s peace and joy where there were nothing but despair and resignation; when someone succeeds in striking a tiny light in the midst of an overpowering darkness. When joy irradiates a heart that no longer dared to believe in it. Now and again we ourselves are assured that the angel’s word we are trying to obey will bring us to the place where God’s Word and Son is already made man. We are assured that, in spite of all the noise and nonsense, today, December 25, is Christmas just as truly as two millennia ago. Once and for all God has started out on his journey toward us, and nothing, till the world’s end, will stop him from coming to us and abiding in us.

godspy.com/faith/Setting-Out-into-the-Dark-with-God-A-Christmas-Sermon-for-a-Troubled-World-by-Hans-Urs-von-Balthasar.cfm
 
as much as I would like to find solace in his concept that Hell may be empty…

my importance in the Scheme of Things is to save my soul, and do all I can to lead others to Christ. If I accept his concept, I have no importance at all
 
I have very little importance in the “Scheme of Things.” It’s as simple as that.
 
Dear friend

I am nothing, Jesus is everything

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa
 
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savone:
I have very little importance in the “Scheme of Things.” It’s as simple as that.
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Might I add though that it’s the little things that count. I often wondered about my purpose and one thing I learned is that your purpose is right in front of you and you need not look beyond that unless you are called to do so. Remember it was the Hobbit that save the kingdom. I watched the Lord of the Rings with my 7 year old and even though it was complicated I was able to get him to understand how important we all are using the movie as my guide. So don’t be fooled about how little your importance is.

What a great post.

God Bless
Kathleen
 
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MrS:
as much as I would like to find solace in his concept that Hell may be empty…
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As a theologian I can understand his speculation – for who among us grasps “eternal damnation” – who knows of what experience the damned endure? Personally I believe there are souls there – it grieves me as I don’t wish to go there and could not wish it upon another. But to grasp the concept of it is I believe beyond my finite mind.
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MrS:
my importance in the Scheme of Things is to save my soul, and do all I can to lead others to Christ. If I accept his concept, I have no importance at all
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But that is your view (smile) God most certainly had a few other things planned for you to do and accomplish and as von Balthasar says, be not afraid you are indeed walking the path of opportunities set out for you from before you were born. As He reminds us, our ways are not His ways.
 
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savone:
I have very little importance in the “Scheme of Things.” It’s as simple as that.
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Then perhaps one day you will speculate as to why such a mighty war is waged for your redemption and your soul. Why such a price was paid - why such a battle is fought and by such powerful sides.

As one of my first pastors told us, never underestimate the value and power of one soul.
 
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BOBKAT:
Might I add though that it’s the little things that count.
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Exactly, as my old pastor used to explain the Christian must submit both the will and the heart to the Divine will and heart. The winning of that battle is our “success story”.
 
not to hijack the thread, HagiSophia, but your quote reminded my of John Henry Newman’s:

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1. God was all-complete, all-blessed in Himself, but it was His will to create a world for His glory. He is Almighty, and might have done all things Himself, but it has been His will to bring about His purposes by the beings He has created. We are all created to His glory–we are created to do His will. I am created to do something or to be something for which no one else is created; I have a place in God’s counsels, in God’s world, which no one else has; whether I be rich or poor, despised or esteemed by man, God knows me and calls me by my name.
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**

2. God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission–I never may know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. Somehow I am necessary for His purposes, as necessary in my place as an Archangel in his–if indeed, I fail, He can raise another, as He could make the stones children of Abraham. Yet I have a part in this great work: I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good, I shall do His work; I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it, if I do but keep His commandments and serve Him in my calling.

3. Therefore I will trust Him. Whatever, wherever I am, I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. My sickness, or perplexity, or sorrow may be necessary causes of some great end, which is quite beyond us. He does nothing in vain; He may prolong my life, He may shorten it; He knows what He is about. He may take my friends, He may throw me among strangers, He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide the future from me–still He knows what He is about.

0 my God, I give myself to Thee. I trust Thee wholly. Thou art wiser than I–more loving to me than I myself. Deign to fulfill Thy high purposes in me whatever they be; work in and through me. I am born to serve Thee, to be Thine, to be Thy instrument. Let me be Thy blind instrument. I ask not to see, I ask not to know–I ask simply to be used.
 
Verbum Caro:
not to hijack the thread, HagiSophia, but your quote reminded my of John Henry Newman’s:
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Luv, that ain’t hijacking – that’s clear affirmation and by the silver tongued Newman no less. I never will forget the time I first stood in his church with the sunlight streaming in and the organ playing and thought “this is where Newman walked and talked and preached” and I started to cry. What a blessing he was. I had not run across the content of your post before and have it now as a keeper – thank you so much!
 
HagiaSophia,

Your original post led me to post a long quote from Cardinal Newman because I thought that it captured the spirit of your discussion.

I have searched and searched since then for another quote from Newman that I thought was similiar. I had run across this quote a few years ago – but had a hard time tracking it down. I finally found it!
Every one who breathes,
high and low, educated and ignorant, young and old,
man and woman,
has a mission, has a work.

We are not sent into this world for nothing;
we are not born at random;
we are not here, that we may go to bed at night,
and get up in the morning, toil for our bread,
eat and drink,
laugh and joke,
sin when we have a mind,
and reform when we are tired of sinning,
rear a family and die.

God sees every one of us;
He creates every soul, He lodges it in the body, one by one,
for a purpose.
He needs, He deigns to need, every one of us.
He has an end for each of us;
we are all equal in His sight,
and we are placed in our different ranks and stations,
not to get what we can out of them for ourselves,
but to labour in them for Him.
As Christ has His work, we too have ours;
as He rejoiced to do His work, we must rejoice in ours also.

(from Discourses to Mixed Congregations, Discourse 6*)*

One of my favorites of all time. Simply beautiful.

And true.

Hope you like it!
 
Verbum Caro:
HagiaSophia,

Your original post led me to post a long quote from Cardinal Newman because I thought that it captured the spirit of your discussion.

I have searched and searched since then for another quote from Newman that I thought was similiar. I had run across this quote a few years ago – but had a hard time tracking it down. I finally found it!

(from Discourses to Mixed Congregations, Discourse 6*)*

One of my favorites of all time. Simply beautiful.

And true.

Hope you like it! I for one, love it! Thank you…pretty much sums it all up…
Click to expand...
 
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savone:
I have very little importance in the “Scheme of Things.” It’s as simple as that.
Click to expand...
I disagree. Christ lives through you and there are people that he can reach through you that he can not reach through others… We are all the body of Christ.
 
Verbum Caro:
HagiaSophia,

Your original post led me to post a long quote from Cardinal Newman because I thought that it captured the spirit of your discussion.

I have searched and searched since then for another quote from Newman that I thought was similiar. I had run across this quote a few years ago – but had a hard time tracking it down. I finally found it!

(from Discourses to Mixed Congregations, Discourse 6*)*

One of my favorites of all time. Simply beautiful.

And true.

Hope you like it!

Loved it and it’s now a “keeper” too. Thanks again.
Click to expand...
 
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