Column by Jonathan Nagy
Recently, I was reading a book of prayers and reflections written by the newest Doctor of the Church, Saint John Henry Newman. At the beginning of one of the prayers, he had written the Latin phrase, “Ex ipso et per ipsum et in ipso sunt omnia.” Like most people, a Latin scholar I am not. I’ve had some Latin guidance from a former teacher/current colleague, and God bless him for trying to help, but even that was a stretch for me. For some reason, even though I only recognized a few words, the phrase caught my eye. I then typed it into Google, and it directed me to Romans 11:36: “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”
This Bible verse used by Saint John Henry Newman was at the beginning of a reflection entitled “The Infinite Perfection of God.” He writes in the reflection about the greatness and goodness of God at all times, and that everything He has made has been perfect in His eyes. He explains that everyone and everything is as God would have it. Saint John Henry wrote, “I believe and know, moreover, that all things live in Thee. Whatever there is of being, of life, of excellence, of enjoyment, of happiness, in the whole creation is, in its substance, simply and absolutely Thine. It is by dipping into the ocean of Thy infinite perfections that all beings have whatever they have of good. All the beautifulness and majesty of the visible world is a shadow or a glimpse of Thee, or the manifestation or operation in a created medium of one or other of Thy attributes. All that is wonderful in the way of talent or genius is but an unworthy relaxation of the faintest gleam of the Eternal Mind.” This reflection is deep in that we cannot even begin to fathom the amount of thought that God put into every single creation and how nothing he made is evil or created by accident.
Saint Paul writes in First Corinthians 2:16, “Who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?” In all reality, no one knows the mind of God. We can wonder why bad things happen to good people, why tragedy strikes, and why undeserved and unexplainable hardships are saddled on people. The truth is, God knows, and he has a purpose.
In this recent season of Advent, we often heard John the Baptist in the readings at Mass proclaiming the coming of the Messiah. Described in the Bible as an eccentric and a fairly odd fellow, wearing camel hair clothes and eating bugs in the desert, he seemed to be one of the least likely characters to be asked to roll out the red carpet for Jesus. While Jesus referred to John as great, by society’s standards, and even his own standards, John disagreed. In first making the point for John’s greatness, Jesus goes on to say in Matthew 11:11, “Yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” It is humbling that we can climb the mountain in this life and yet return to the bottom of the valley in the next.
We can surmise that no one in John’s day thought he would be much of anything. He was odd, quirky, and many probably thought he had ‘lost his marbles.’ Yet, this presents to us a powerful lesson and image. God was intentional in selecting John to be the forerunner for His Son. Yes, perhaps the most unlikely character was called upon to announce the coming Messiah. If John is called to greatness, are we not all called to greatness? Jesus called John great because he was given the honor of announcing the coming of the Messiah. We are all given that same call. Everyone is called to greatness, but how we answer that call defines us.
God has a way of putting in front of us what we need to see, here, and experience. We have all gone through rough patches in our lives and have often wondered what the purpose of that turmoil has been. When I came across the aforementioned writing from Saint John Henry Newman, it began to help change my own perspective. Yes, sometimes things can seem difficult and even insurmountable, but God created us in His image we can overcome the most challenging scenarios if we rely on Him and keep our eyes fixed on Him.
A poem written by Saint John Henry Newman called “Sensitiveness” highlights these thoughts:
Time was, I shrank from what was right
From fear of what was wrong;
I would not brave the sacred fight,
Because the foe was strong.
But now I cast that finer sense
And sorer shame aside;
Such dread of sin was indolence,
Such aim at Heaven was pride.
So, when my Savior calls, I rise,
And calmly do my best;
Leaving to Him, with silent eyes
Of hope and fear, the rest.
I step, I mount where He has led;
Men count my haltings o’er;
I know them; yet, though self I dread,
I love His precept more.
The third stanza of the poem is very striking to me. It is an invigorating thought to have Jesus Christ call upon us for a purpose. We are to give it our all and do our best with the tasks that he lays in front of us, and everything else we are to give him, including the fears and worries. Such powerful words and imagery to illustrate the desire of God for all to answer his call!
Are we making a conscience effort to rise to the call and announce the Messiah to those around us? Yes, sometimes it is difficult to answer the call of God, but we must remember, He created and chose each of us for a very specific purpose, one that we may never understand in this life. It is only through striving to meet Him someday in heaven that this mystery might be revealed to us. In the meantime, it is our duty to remain faithful and to pull others toward Him. Another quote from Saint John Henry Newman explained this concept: “God has created me to do him some definite service; he has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another. I have my mission – I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons.”
As Saint John Henry pointed out, God is perfect in absolutely everything, including His creations. During this time of January, we take time to remember and pray for all of the babies who have been aborted. God created each of them for a reason, and the evils of earth changed that trajectory. They were each called to greatness and were very perfect in His eyes. They could have been the next John the Baptist, a fantastic doctor, an amazing singer, or, above all, a wonderful person. One way we can carry out their unrealized potential is to answer our own personal calls from God and not waste our time and talents that have been given to us from above. Time is precious, life is precious, and we are all precious in His eyes.
These are not the times to shrink from what is right because of fear. These are the times that we need to stand up for what is right. The challenges we all face are great, and yet, we were each created to take on those adversities, which we are able to do by putting on the armor of God. Place all of your trust in God, for His ways are greater than our own!
Human beings can be weak, so we must not only help each other, but rely on each other for help. We can’t shoulder every burden on our own. God created others to help us, and His Son died on the cross to free us from all sin, for all of eternity. When we struggle, we must first turn to Jesus and then to others who will guide us in the right path.
We need courage each and every day of our lives to be the people that God knows we are. Just like the varied scenarios and situations that individuals find themselves in, courage also comes in different forms. God has equipped everyone with the spiritual tools that they need to have courage and overcome adversity. With God’s help, we just need to be able to unlock the door and access this courage. In a final quote from John Henry Newman, he wrote, “Courage does not consist in calculation, but in fighting against chances.” Have the courage to do what is right and, just like John the Baptist, proclaim the Messiah to all!
A favorite quote of mine comes from Saint Teresa of Calcutta. She said, “I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that He didn’t trust me so much.” We all feel this way from time to time. If a five foot tall nun from Macedonia can take on world hunger and injustice, we can fight our everyday fights.
God is perfect. The world He made is good. We, though sinners, are perfected by Him, and in the end, His opinion is the only one that will matter. Challenge yourself to have the courage to answer the call and do what God is asking of you!
“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen!”
Jonathan Nagy, M.Ed., is the Principal of Bishop Carroll Catholic High School in Ebensburg and the Music Director at the Basilica of Saint Michael the Archangel in Loretto.
