The gift of God is a sheer “loop of grace”, which S/he offers, the gift of being with. Clinging to that gift, makes to lose it. We have received so as a gift, therefore we are asked to give in the same measure, in order to have them multiplied. Giving away that which one is receiving.
We are destined for God who is love. The earthly human hunger for what will satisfy - wealth, pleasure, power, honour, domination— will only make us feel empty all the more.
What you receive as gift, you should give as gift. As one Priest Psychologist writes about the most precious gifts:
“Some of life’s most precious gifts are the things you cannot see.
The values that fulfil your life
are things you cannot speak.
The realities that sustain your being
are not the things you have but things you hope for.
With something to believe in and someone
you can love there is nothing you cannot hope and dare.” (Fr.
Peter Lourdes SDB)
The gift that we love and cherish most, is what moves our heart, and what moves our heart to give away those gifts, is what moves our lives to a greater height.
Gift is meant to be better, and makes it so, someone. The only true gift to another is love. It is shared so that we together be God-like (Mt. 5:48). Shared-gift with those who cry, those that are hungry and have thirst of justice, and those persecuted unjustly (e.g. Ukranians in war attacked by Russia) makes one to live further with open arms, ready to embrace. It helps one to accept oneself and the other as one is, with all the limits because the gift is one of self-offering out of love for each other.
Life itself is a gift of God to us and our life goal is our gift to God and others. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father” (James 1:17). The best gifts aren’t always the most expensive (although they can be!), but they are usually the most thoughtful: something made by a loved one, or something that reminds you of a special friend or occasion. The worst gifts are strange or inappropriate. They’re usually things from people who don’t know you very well, or things that haven’t had much thought put into them (or, at least, very odd thoughts!).
A gift is something given freely. It shows appreciation and love of the giver. It brings immense joy when given freely. We all have received multiple gifts from God, but the greatest gift of God to us is our own life. Christ’s sacrificial love for all is the lesson we learn in gifting the self in its wholeness, to others. Gift is a sign of love, always a part of oneself. What do we do with the gift? We appreciate the gift of life by living it fully and joyfully. Shared gifts give meaning to life. As a purposeful life has a goal, and objective to achieve something, its status is fulfilled through mutual development of one's potentialities (physical-intellectual-spiritual), e.g. Mahatma Gandhi gave up his career for the freedom of his country; Martin Luther King fought to abolish discrimination against the blacks in America; Nelson Mandela locked up in jail for his efforts to bring about equality in South Africa. They worked for others. That’s the way it should be: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others” (1 Peter 4:10).
The hidden gifts are to be used for God, because God endowed you with that talent. However simple the unseen gifts be, they are meant to be used for others. True, that the measure of the unseen gifts are unique to each individual. God expects us to profit with those individual gifts. We are stewards of His gifts and need to be accountable for them. God as an investor, has entrusted us with those gifts, with an expectation of a return. The world needs us with those gifts, however unseen. We are all members of the universal cosmic consciousness (God) and we need each other. The gifts with their complementary nature serve to benefit mankind collectively. Someone needs what the other is gifted with. This becomes a rewarding experience, garnering happiness and fulfilment. An eternal joy awaits all those who choose to use their unseen gifts for God.
No one is irreplaceable before God. It is therefore, a duty to utilize the gifts to fulfil God’s will. Besides, no gift is insignificant before God. God reckons with what He gives us. We, with the hidden gifts, are beautiful in God’s hands.
The truth is that we begin to find out and discover the love of God manifested in those God-given gifts, while exploring the spiritual richness of being hidden in Christ. We all long to be seen and heard. Yet most of our lives is unwitnessed and unappreciated.
God intended so. Only God knows us, and understands
the value of the unseen gifts in our lives. When we are hidden in God, we give
ourselves to others in freedom, and get into deeper relationship with God.
Given all of ourselves to God, can we live out the way God created us to be. God
is in the secret places of our lives that no one else witnesses. And it is in
realizing myself through a goal, and giving myself in service, contributing to human
progress, in relation to the society and nation, to make this world a better
place to live in that I can make my life truly meaningful. It costs to serve, to be sharers of all that we
have. Am I ready for it: take up the challenge to participate fully with all
the unseen gifts of life?
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