Ringing Our Own Bell

By Scott Ferrier, MJ • Phoenix, AZ

“And are not the blessed angels unknown to the world? And is not God himself, the author of all good, hid from mankind at large, partially manifested and poorly glorified in a few scattered servants here and there? And his Spirit, do we know whence it comes and whither it goes? … His marvelous providence works beneath a veil…and to see him who is the truth and the life, we must stoop underneath it, and so in our turn hide ourselves from the world. … And we, if we would see the King of kings in his glory, must be content to disappear from the things that are seen. Hid are the saints of God.”
–Bl. John Henry Cardinal Newman

At times we may find ourselves concerned that we are not doing enough “great” things for God. As consecrated lay persons in the Miles Jesu domus who do not wear the habit of religious or of priests, we are less “visible” to the world, in a religious sense, than they are. We may have the question put to us: “Just what is it that you do?” People who do not understand our consecrated lay vocation have difficulty perceiving any difference between their own actions and ours. True enough. By all appearances, we are “doing” the same things as many in the secular world are, even the baptized laity—going about the work of our professions, attending to the duties of our state in life and providing and caring for our families (in our case, our Miles Jesu faith family). What is different is that our baptismal consecration has been “deepened,” characterized by the special invitation of the Lord, to which we respond by embracing the sacred promises or vows of the evangelical counsels. Even the smallest act takes on more value, more significance, more power, though not visible to others.

God’s grace is hidden and His providential ways are quiet and unobserved. Our Lord said: “But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Mt 6:3). 

Do I seek the praise of others more than to be content with serving God in the absence of acknowledgement? The saints, in imitation of Our Lord, always avoided the temptation to make an idol of “human respect.” They knew too well that self-love does not relent in its desire to receive the credit which in truth belongs entirely to Him.