Instruments Of His Peace

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Marie de l’Incarnation, Educator and Spiritual Teacher in New France, 1672 - Commemoration

Today's Readings:
[ Jer 1:2-12; Ps 66:7-12; Jn 15:14-17 ]

In today’s readings, we’re drawn into a relationship that begins not with our choice, but with God’s initiative. The call of Jeremiah reminds us that vocation is not something we invent—it is something we receive. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you”. From a Franciscan perspective, this is deeply humbling. Our lives are not accidents or self-made projects; they are gifts, lovingly spoken into being by God.

Jeremiah’s hesitation—“Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy”—echoes a truth we often feel. We are small, limited, and unsure. Yet God’s response is not to deny that weakness, but to promise presence: “Do not be afraid… for I am with you to deliver you”. Franciscan spirituality embraces this poverty of spirit. Like St. Francis, we are invited to stand before God without pretense, trusting not in our own strength but in God’s faithful companionship.

The psalm reinforces this pattern: “For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried”. The path of discipleship is not easy. It involves refinement, surrender, and at times, difficulty. Yet even this is part of God’s loving work, drawing us into deeper freedom and dependence.

In the Gospel, Jesus brings the call to its fullness: “You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last”. This is the heart of Franciscan mission—not achievement, but fruitfulness rooted in love. We are chosen, not for status, but for relationship: “I have called you friends”.

To be a friend of Christ is to live simply, love generously, and trust completely. It is to allow our lives—however small—to become instruments of God’s peace and presence in the world.

Today, we are invited to respond not with confidence in ourselves, but with quiet trust: God has chosen us, God is with us, and God will bring forth fruit in due time.

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