we are his instruments and children
"Will the axe boast against Him Who hews with it?" —Isaiah 10:15
We are instruments and tools in God's hands. Our loving Father employs us according to who we are and what gifts we have. We can experience this both in the present and through hindsight, seeing how the Father has directed our lives. Our Father employs us using a symphony of our free choices and His divine, loving omnipotence. As an example of this, the homilist at today's Mass mentioned that his own free choice to attend a Calvinist seminary was used by God as a part of His plan to lead him both to the Catholic Church and to the Catholic priesthood. This combination of being God's children and His instruments is a great comfort because it reminds us that we are children of a loving Father (Mt 11:25ff) and that we can be fruitful and useful (see Phlm 20) in the kingdom of God.
God even uses the bad guys as His instruments, such as the king of Assyria (see Is 10:5ff) and Cyrus, pagan king of Persia (Is 45:1ff). How much more can He use His loving children who obey His will! We are not merely puppets in a divine play. We are children of a loving Father, ambassadors of a benevolent King. The Lord makes use of our freely-made decisions, both good and bad, and employs us as His instruments and tools. We are His saws, axes, violins, and beloved children. Be childlike in the hands of the Father. Allow Him to sharpen and tune you as He sees fit. Then let Him make use of you for His perfect will.
Prayer: "Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace."
Promise: "No one knows the Son but the Father, and no one knows the Father but the Son — and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him." —Mt 11:27
Praise: St. Camillus ministered Jesus to children, the sick and the dying.
Reference: (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 27, 2018
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