Como pliegues de Sus vestiduras
Monday, June 21, 2010
*Marta Vargas
Hab�a llegado el momento de dividirnos en grupos peque�os para discutir la respuesta a la pregunta: ��Cu�les son los dones que Dios les ha dado?�
Algunos permanec�an callados. Otros prefirieron hablar sobre gente y objetos en sus vidas que consideraban sus regalos, desvi�ndose de lo que trataba la pregunta. Muy pocos parec�an saber cu�les eran sus dones personales o carismas, o al menos se sent�an lo suficientemente c�modos para hablar sobre los mismos.
Pero ya he explicado lo suficiente sobre ellos. Hablemos sobre usted: �cu�les son sus dones?
Pienso que cada uno de nosotros tiene una multitud de destrezas y talentos que nos ayudan a que realicemos muy bien diversas cosas, y eso es maravilloso. Sin embargo, s�lo hay unas pocas cosas que podemos realizar particularmente bien, quiz�s mejor que cualquier otra persona. Esas son nuestros dones �nicos, nuestros carismas.
Hay una diferencia, y entenderla puede ser el factor determinante en cu�n cerca estamos o cu�n fieles seamos en alcanzar nuestro mayor potencial. En otras palabras, nuestros carismas, esos dones especiales que son s�lo nuestros, son clave para nuestro llamado, nuestra vocaci�n.
En nuestro agitado mundo hay mucho que hacer. Mientras m�s destrezas tenemos, m�s podemos realizar, y si no nos damos cuenta, el �hacer� puede dominarnos. Por supuesto, muchas de estas cosas, si no todas, pueden ser positivas, quiz�s grandiosas. Pero, al realizarlas, �aumentan, o al menos est�n en balance con el uso de nuestros dones especiales?
Si no, tome en consideraci�n lo siguiente: s�lo por el hecho de que lo que hacemos sea bueno, no quiere decir que sea lo que Dios nos pide. �C�mo lo sabemos? Hay muchas maneras, entre ellas sacar tiempo para estar en silencio con nuestro Se�or en los sacramentos y en la oraci�n.
Otra es al preguntarnos: �cu�les son mis dones especiales? �Los utilizo? Si no, �c�mo puedo, con la gracia de Dios, limpiar u organizar el lienzo de Dios, para que �l tenga el espacio y el poder completo para crear Su obra maestra en m� y a trav�s de m�, y as� pueda bendecir al mundo? �Utilizamos nuestros dones, o estamos muy ocupados en �hacer las cosas�? �Estoy aqu� para beneficiarme, o estoy aqu� para bendecir? �Estoy aqu� para hacer, o estoy aqu� para sanar?
Conteste esas preguntas y al menos tendr� una idea del camino hacia sus dones, y en �l, del camino hacia su llamado, su vocaci�n. Su don especial, o carisma, no s�lo es la clave a su llamado, a su vocaci�n, pero tambi�n es clave para sanar al mundo. �S�, al mundo!
�Puede confiar en el dise�o de Dios? �Es posible que cada don especial o carisma que Dios nos da, si es nutrido y compartido apropiadamente, se pueda convertir en un �pliegue� de sus vestiduras � un punto de encuentro entre Dios y el hombre, pues a trav�s de esos dones ofrecemos evidencia material de Su obra y su presencia en nosotros y en el mundo? �Es posible que quienes tengan contacto con el don, encuentren el amor de Cristo resucitado activo y vivo en nosotros, y al hacerlo, hallen que este amor y este Se�or son inevitablemente sanadores? �Podr�an muchos �pliegues� hacer una vestidura m�s amplia que toque a una cantidad mayor de manos?
No importa cu�n peque�o o sencillo le parezca un don, no subestime su potencial para marcar la diferencia en su familia, en nuestra Iglesia, en el mundo. S�lo p�dale a Dios que se lo demuestre, que le d� una manera de crecer en el mismo y compartirlo, y que le conceda la gracia de ser lo suficientemente fiel para hacerlo.
�Cu�les son sus dones especiales? Espero que pueda estar m�s cerca de reconocerlos, discernirlos, acogerlos y compartirlos hoy a plenitud.
�Hay diferentes dones espirituales, pero el Esp�ritu es el mismo. Hay diversos ministerios, pero el Se�or es el mismo. Hay diversidad de obras, pero es el mismo Dios quien obra todo en todos. La manifestaci�n del Esp�ritu que a cada uno se le da es para provecho com�n.� (1 Cor. 12:4-7)
Comments from readers
Your article is very thought-provoking. I think many people who have no trouble showing God gratitude for blessings, and think of those as gifts from Heaven, it is harder to recognize the gifts or charisms he has endowed in us. Responding to those requires more than gratitude; it requires action!
I am continually trying to understand my God-given gifts, and learning how to use them effectively. It's frustrating for me now, because I feel that I have the gifts of nurturing, mothering, patience, understanding, listening, writing and teaching, yet several of the ways I have tried to use these gifts have failed. I wanted children, yet could not conceive. Then I wanted to adopt, and that didn't work out. I am a teacher, but have been displaced from my job. So, I am learning alternative ways to use my gifts. I continue to help in church ministries, especially in faith formation. I will soon receive training to work as a volunteer counselor at a crisis pregnancy center. I am reading all I can about faith and ethics, and make a point of spreading the word to everyone who will listen or read. I realize that caring for my husband, friends and family members, and women struggling with life and death decisions, are ways that I can serve as a spiritual mother. If I can do those things well, that's a good start to making better use of my gifts.
It's as if the act of sharing the gifts entrusted to us is actually what creates that greatness. It never occurred to me that it may not be so much about the gift itself or its perceived magnitude (our human perception being limited and flawed to begin with) but how the decision to share it (and the faith, trust, hope and love involved in doing so) is what can potentially bless in bigger ways beyond what we see in the gift itself. WOW! and any gift shared regardless of how 'small ' it seems can in the end be greater for humanity and for God's glory than the greatest gift, gone unshared.
I love the fact that the spirit has moved you to write in regards to our calling and ultimately our purpose. People need to know that what sets them apart is where God can manifest his glory and light. I cannot shine the way you shine and vice versa.
I can especially relate to:
"...how can I, with God�s grace, clean or de-clutter God's canvas so He can have the space and full reign to create His masterpiece in and through me, in order to bless the world? " and where you said, "Can you trust God's design?"
Sometimes, without realizing it we fill our lives with so much stuff and "doing" (even if it's a lot of good "stuff") and ignore his whisper asking us to be consumed with something much greater and that which comes naturally to us...our gift.
For over a year, I have been in the process of trying to bring a chapter of an organization to my campus. It is something that I have felt God pulling me to do for a very very long time. In order to move forward I needed a faculty member to advise my chapter. I received No after no after no after no. After some time, I sort of gave up and decided that I would graduate a semester early. Too make a long story short, because of certain circumstances I needed to stay an extra semester. The extra semester here will allow me to bring this Chapter in the fall because I finally found an advisor this semester. It was the only thing that was delaying the process. I decided to trust his "design". God does give us the grace to do his work, but it does not always come easy...most things that are worthwhile take time, struggle and a constant getting back up and falling down, but in the end, if we remain faithful, we too shall resurrect like our Savior; and like Moses be able to reflect the Lord's grand brightness to the world with our unveiled faces.
Peace to you today.
-->RICHARD, LINDA, my two first and wonderfully affirming comments, thank you!
-->ALBA - Gracias! Tus palabras me recuerdan las de un gran amigo que decia "the best place to be is smack dab in the middle of God's will" o 'El mejor sitio para estar es en el mismito medio de la voluntad de Dios, que se hace compartiendo los dones que nos da y siguiendo su llamado a nivel de que cuando ese es el caso, se vive en alegria!
--> PAULA - Your comments touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes, how beautiful that not only this helped you reflect on your own gifts but also made you think about your students and their gifts. How wonderfully you are modeling our call to not just share our gifts but to help each other share theirs, which we will be talking about more soon. :) It is my sincerest hope and prayer that you and your students will continue to reflect on and grow in your special gifts as it is for everyone who reads this. :) Could you forward me more information via [email protected] as to how many students you have and when is Confirmation day? Thanks and blessings!
-->ANA - You are always such an encouragement and know enough about you to feel confident in saying that your addition to the wider hem is anything but tiny. You are a champion! God bless you! :)
--> NEIDA, Thank you for your wonderful insights on things that are so important to keep always in mind and never forget that the plan in fact is that you may be hearing more on that from me in the future. Very insightful indeed! Truly we could do a whole reflection just on that alone, and in fact, this topic is 'part 3' of this reflection, to perhaps share sometime... . :) Your words brought to mind Kate Adamson, an amazing speaker with a powerful testimony from her amazing recovery from a stroke, so thought I'd share this a reflection she called 'One Hand Clapping. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtd4X3DtCCA
To hear that God has been using these words to touch and bless is sheer delight, as we pray that God continues to use this, and all of us, to be bearers of hope and instruments of healing in the sharing of our gifts.
Blessings Everyone!
Marta
Often, I insist on asking for the gifts and the fruit of the Spirit and, I suppose it is OK to do so. But I remember another statement from the retreat, "Life is not about what you get, it is about what you do with what you get."
Thanks for a good start to my day,
Paula