AGE:
Secondary |
THEME:
Who, Me?
A reflection on the theme of vocation and on the way in which God uses our choices to set forward his plans for Creation. |
PREPARATION: |
- Prepare the readings: Genesis 2:15, Isaiah 6:1-8
- As a visual aid, you could also use a bag similar to those used in Ready, Steady, Cook! Fill it with three or four very dissimilar items and unpack them in front of the students at the beginning. This could be done by a group of students.
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INTRODUCTION: |
In the T.V. programme Ready, Steady, Cook! there is a section where two chefs are given a plastic carrier bag with a few unlikely ingredients and they have to decide how they will turn them into a meal. They have a few moments to decide and it is always amazing how creative they can be.
Maybe that is what life is like for God every day. He has created a world of enormous diversity and placed humans in it, giving them free will - and who knows what they will do with it?
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READING: |
Read Genesis 2:15
The Man is told to look after creation and care for it. He is not told how, or given training except... he is made in the image and likeness of God, so maybe there is an inherited vision.
But, like the chefs on Ready, Steady, Cook! it is up to the man, also, to be imaginative.
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DEVELOPMENT: |
- Risk
Of course, choice is risky. Faced with a range of choices, what might happen? It might not go God's way. Of course, God can persuade and entice and suggest. BUT, having given his creation freedom, he cannot compel it to do anything. God may well have a vision, but his children don't always share it. Maybe that is why there is evil and suffering in the world. God's children do not see the vision that he sees and, of course, are free to resist and go their own way. All the evil men and women of the world throughout history have been (and still have the potential to be) the children of God. The gifts they have were given by God; it is the humans who have chosen to distort and abuse them, sometimes in horrifying ways. We can all think of examples.
That is the risk of giving free will.
- Vocation
When we hear the word 'vocation', we probably think of people who go on to serve God in the Church or in some special occupation. We often don't think of ourselves as having a calling. But we do. We are all placed here with skills, abilities, vision and freedom. That is our calling or vocation. God is saying to each of us, 'I have put you here. What will you make of it?' We all have some freedom to choose what we do with our lives and work. Our choice, if made right, is our calling - part of what it is to be human.
We are a bit like the chefs, we have a mixed bag of ingredients and we can all make something of them, even if some do it more creatively than others. Christians believe that we are all developing God's creation - even if it is not always in God's way. Often, though, human creativity in freedom can do great things.
- What makes the difference?
Christians believe that we are all made in the image and likeness of God, so we can suppose that we have inherited some of his creativity and vision. This can be dimmed by the way we are and sometimes we need help on the way. God's way of helping is known by Christians as the Holy Spirit - a gently suggesting and guiding power that is there if you want to use it. It takes our freedom and ideas and doesn't remove them or over-ride them. Instead it enlarges them. But the Holy Spirit is only available by request. It won't be forced. We have to ask for that help, for example through prayer.
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READING: |
Read Isaiah 6:1-8
Isaiah isn't made to serve God. He offers to - he places his gifts at God's disposal and God uses them. God doesn't regret that Isaiah isn't better at this or that or something else. He takes the offer and uses it. The important thing here, though, is that he appears to be close to God and so is likely to have a good idea of what is needed.
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CONCLUSION: |
So! What about YOU? What have you got in your bag, and what will you make of it?
What characteristics and skills do you have?
Do you have...
- Practical skills?
- Artistic skills?
- Academic skills?
Are you...
- A listener?
- A friend?
- Caring?
- Patient?
And so on... All our gifts and personality can be put to good use. What could your special contribution be?
YOU DECIDE - AND THEN USE IT!
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