Faith to see the talents

Faith to See the Talents

Faith is sharing in God’s vision of reality…. If you have faith, it is like seeing every day of your life through the eyes of Jesus. Only then will you see the unceasing opportunities for your conversion and sanctification. Then, in the light of faith, you will also begin to understand that suffering is a cross and something that will therefore spiritually transform you to the extent that you accept it. If in your difficulties you recognize the cross as an opportunity toward transformation, then your difficulties truly become gifts for you. If you could see all the countless talents that God is continuously ­giving you, then you would never be sad. Talents such as poor health or situations filled with conflicts and failures would then bring joy to your heart—joy because God bestows something invaluable on you and shows you exceptional trust. He trusts that you will not bury or reject his gifts. He counts on your faith since it is only in the light of faith that you can recognize the talents given to you….

Only a person who has faith is able to be grateful for everything. This gratitude will be visible on your face as joy, for everything may be changed into good. This reflection about talents refers to the teaching of Saint Paul and to the famous thesis of Saint Augustine, we know that all things work for good for those who love God (Rom 8:28)—even sin. Therefore, even a fall, which is a great misfortune and at the same time hurts Jesus, can be an opportunity within which is hidden some kind of talent given to you from which you can profit. You only need your faith, or your conversion toward such faith, to enable you to see through the eyes of Jesus. He is never sad when looking at your life that may be filled with failures, problems, conflicts, unfulfilled plans, everyday difficulties, and spiritual difficulties. He is joyful because he expects all those things to bear fruit. He expects that you will take advantage of them and you will be joyful and grateful for everything he gives you: Mother Agnes said to the ailing Thérèse of the Child Jesus, “You had a lot of trouble today,” and she ­answered, “Yes, but…I love everything that God gives me.”

Father Tadeusz Dajczer

Father Dajczer († 2009) was a Polish priest and professor of theology in Warsaw, and co-founder of the Families of Nazareth Movement. [From The Gift of Faith/Inquiring faith. Edited by Anne Mary Hines, Mary Jane Bartee, Erin Rice, Michelle Curtis, Joyce Pfaffinger, Andree Wagatha. © 2011, Leszek Jan Pliszka. Published 2012 by In the Arms of Mary Foundation