You are chosen. God chose you to be a king or queen, a member of the royal heavenly family. You are chosen to be redeemed at the price of Jesus' blood and to be a temple of the Holy Spirit. Why are you chosen for such awesome honors? "God chose those whom the world considers absurd to shame the wise; He singled out the weak of this world to shame the strong. He chose the world's lowborn and despised, those who count for nothing" (1 Cor 1:27-28). God chose you not because you are so good but because the world considers you absurd, weak, lowborn, despised.

"It was not because you are the largest of all nations that the Lord set His heart on you and chose you, for you are really the smallest of all nations. It was because the Lord loved you" (Dt 7:7-8). He loves you, not because you are lovable; you are lovable because He loves you. We do not work to be chosen. We work in thanksgiving for having been chosen. We do not pray to obtain God's love, but because God loved us when we didn't even seek His love. Those who try to work or pray their way into heaven are put to shame (1 Cor 1:28). We are loved, blessed, and chosen, and we didn't even do anything. The worldly-wise appear foolish in trying to qualify for something that does not depend on qualifications. Why try to fulfill conditions for a love that's unconditional? Accept God's acceptance and love for you.

Rescript:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 26, 2006

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