Reflections on Ps 91 & Duet 32:1-2 (Bro Joseph Zhang)

Lord, I am not worthy
(Pss 91, 8, Canticle Deut: 32:1-12)

I believe that each one of us has felt a sense of unworthiness at one point or another on our journey to the priesthood or in the priestly life. We feel unworthy maybe because of our imperfections or limitations. Some may feel they are not good enough because they were not good examples before joining in the seminary, some may feel they are not intellectual enough to do all the studies, some may feel they do not have good personal relationship with people, others may feel they have no pastoral skills, etc.

I think having a sense of unworthiness is normal. Even the most perfect disciple, the Blessed Virgin Mary, felt so. When she was approached by angel Gabriel and heard the annunciation that she was giving birth to the Son of God, she asked, “How can this come about since I am a virgin?” In the same way, when God called us, we wondered how this can be since we have a list of incapabilities. However, Mary’s personal limitation did not block God’s work in her. Her faith and openness to God made it possible to allow God to do marvelous deeds in her. Because of her unworthiness, she was able to glorify God when she heard the greeting of her cousin Elizabeth.

Though unworthy we are, like Israel, God found us in a wilderness, in fearful and desolate wastes; he surrounded us with his grace and lifted us up. As long as we do not insist our own way, we will not fall from God’s arms. As long as we allow God to work in us and through us as he did in Mary, we will also be able to experience and proclaim the greatness and love of God as the psalmists did.

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Stay tuned for the next post by Bro Samuel Lim on 15th Nov 2009.