Not Many But Much

It is a strange temptation for those who are talented to think that they need to do much in the service of the Kingdom. To whom much is given, much is asked but sometimes that "much" which is asked is the humility to accept that what is being asked is "not much" (and seemingly unworthy of their talents) or (worse) that nothing is being asked of them at all. The point is not to do much in the service of the Kingdom but to do that which is asked.

Oftentimes what God asks is not for them to do great things but to love those around them and their responsibilities no matter how seemingly insignificant in the greater scheme of things; and to love not many more (to scale up, so to speak), but to love the few entrusted to them much more.

Do the good you are called to do

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’

will enter the kingdom of heaven,

but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Many will say to me on that day,

‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?

Did we not drive out demons in your name?

Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’

Then I will declare to them solemnly,

‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’

Matthew 7: 21-23

When I heard that Gospel reading three weeks ago, I couldn't help but remember a lesson I learned a couple of years back: it isn't (just) about doing the good but it is about doing the good you are being called to do. It is not about driving out demons or doing mighty deeds in God's name but doing "the will of the Father in heaven".

In itself, there is nothing wrong with driving out demons and doing mighty deeds. In fact some people were (and are) called to do that. But it may not be what we are all being called to do at the moment.

I remember thinking some years back that it is the tragedy of those who are talented or who have been given much talent (or cultural capital) that they think that they necessarily have to do great deeds (reposted here). Some might be asked to do that but others may be asked to fade away and take care of seemingly mundane concerns beneath their talent level :-) I remember thinking back then that "magis" does not necessarily mean to do greater things for more people (to scale-up, so to speak), or even to love more people, but to love those we are asked to love much more.

In that sense then, doing the good for the greater number might be a temptation if it is not the good one is being called to do. That is why I have a fundamental distrust of discernments made for groups of people. I don't find it helpful (and in fact find it quite harmful) when groups of people are told that that the good they have to do now is to follow this career path or that career path. Kanya-kanyang tawag.

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Which of course begs the question: how are we to know what we are being called to do? In my experience, Ignatian spirituality certainly helps. Silent retreats, retreats in daily life, prayer sessions. The opportunities are available for students but even for those who are not students anymore (See The Center for Ignatian Spirituality: http://www.cisphil.org/ This is not a paid advertisement :-)

A simple petition (repeated daily!) asking for the grace to know what we are being asked to do helps. I just realized that a phrase in the prayer for generosity, especially the Tagalog translation puts it nicely, "ang aking mabatid na ang loob mo siyang sinusundan"

Another technique that helps runs parallel to the phrase "presumption of regularity" which is used in government circles. For the most part, we assume that we make sensible decisions about what good to do. That frees us up to do things instead of being paralyzed by having to "wait for signs" (of course, the bigger the decision, the more prudent it will be to wait for confirmation). A Jesuit once said just live your life and pray that if you're headed in the wrong direction, sana batukan ka ng Diyos and that he gives a big enough wallop for you to notice.