266 days left in this Columbian Year. Are we all comfortable with how we spent the first 30 so far? I know it’s been busy for me but I still wish I could have accomplished a little more.
I would say that it’s probably a little bit of a man thing, to think about what you haven’t finished yet and not to be as grateful for the things you have already done, but then I think of literally any women I’ve ever met and in comparison to how their brains work, I should probably not try to claim some virtuous mental territory for men here. So let’s just say that I’m personally unsatisfied with my accomplishments, or lack thereof. Does anyone else resonate with that same issue? Has anyone honestly actually reached the end of their to-do list? What does the world look like from there? Is the sky still blue?
I think part of what aggravates it for me is looking at what other people have done. It’s amazing to me just how much someone can get done when they really dig in and don’t stop for fear or doubt or laziness. A pretty significant American was killed last month. Among the deluge of follow up to that incident, one of the things that stood out to me is just how much he accomplished in his short life. It can be argued that some people are more naturally gifted than others, or more motivated or more supported to succeed, and on and on. There are a plethora of examinations that allow us to look at someone that has accomplished much with their time, and explain away why we maybe haven’t done something similar in comparison. But I think that is all an exercise in missing the point. Comparing ourselves to others isn’t how we should look at things. God will know your heart, and your gifts, and your life. And He will judge you accordingly. Not compared to others. Only in relation to you and Him.
God created us to be different from each other. Not a collective with no individuality like a colony of ants or bees, driven to complete the same tasks exactly the same way, generation after generation. We are much different than that as a species. And those differences are what creates our growth. The challenges of our lives, the uniqueness of our skills, the different faces of love and hate that surround us as we grow. It all forms the path we are on. Our choices to use what we have been given, determine which direction we take on that path. That is free will.
If any of us can say we have done enough, we are probably lying to ourselves or lying to each other. You can never really say you have no more to offer God. There is always more, because he has built into us the capacity to keep reaching and finding that. The best I believe we can say is, “Am I still working on it and giving it an honest effort to do what God has asked of me. Am I serving others to the best of my ability?” It’s always going to be work to keep getting better. Some of the greatest people I’ve met are some of the most humble and faithful servants and they continue to progress that way.
If LOVE means “to will the good of the other”, then the best way to LOVE people is to find ways to serve. Love is not about you. It’s always about others. That’s what you should be proud of as a Knight of Columbus. That is really the foundation of why all of this matters. None of the awards or applause. It’s to find ways to “Love one another as I have loved you.” John 13:34. As Knights, this is what we have always tried to do, it is what we currently are doing, and it’s what should inform what we will continue to do. Not how much we have accomplished so far so that we may sit back and rest. Instead we should be always finding the ways to love in our biggest activity, right down to our smallest act of kindness day to day.
We have many activities that are going on and if you are able to participate in any of them, or in anything the parish is doing, please do. If you can’t take part in any of those things, then watch for your daily opportunities to show love to anyone that comes across your path. They are there because God placed them there, and so are you. So show them love. Don’t be afraid to step up. Don’t let distractions and frustrations segregate and separate you. Don’t let the easy path hold you back. Find ways to get together with people and be a Knight to the masses. Show everyone the love of God. It’s what is being asked of you. It’s what is being asked of me.
Chris Carr
GK Fr. Leduc Council 7061
leduckc.ca
