I am a Gift from God to God

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Sister with Isaac and Nicholas


October recollection was about recognition of our being as a gift that comes from with it is purposeful end being in God.  Sr. led us to first answer the question, who am I? As Paul puts it “we are his hand-work, created in Christ Jesus for the good work that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.”(Ephesians 2:10). God created us to be a gift to one another, that despite ourselves being gifts He also endowed us with other gifts within us to share them out. These are different from one another “and he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers.”  Quoting one of the writers that, “a personhood is not accomplishment, is a gift.” Sr. continued that my presence to one another is the greatest gift ever to others. This gift means what one gives expecting no return, and this mostly is a gift of self. Smile in my face communicates love to the other person and yet it does not cost material things. According to Ignatius we ought to experience God in all , this leads me in sharing my gift because I will realise that am sharing it with God in all. Drawing from St Teresa of Calcutta, we cannot give what we do not have, therefore I can only share my gift by realising how am gifted.

The second session was to help us realise our sinful nature and God’s Love. That as human there is no doubt that we are sinners but the most important knows that I am a Beloved Sinner who is invited by the Merciful Father for repentance. If my gift is used in works of charity my sinners are remitted, because is by grace that we have faith. (Eph 2:8-9) one repentant soul brings joy in God’s house, therefore we should have the attitude of the tax collector towards our sinful nature “O God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13); and not like the Pharisees attitude of self praise and comparison. Lastly, she invited us to conceal our sins because through confession we find God’s mercy (Proverbs 28:13), and be ready to approach one another to ask for reconciliation in order to create a peaceful and joyous community with ability of sharing our gifts because we are gifts from God called by our way of life to be gifts to others. The facilitator called us to have hope because it helps us not only to see the sin we are in today but that we will be washed from it by God’s mercy.

Texts of reflection; Psalm 139, Ex 34:5-7, James 1:16-17, Jn 3:16, 14:6,10:1-11,Rm 12:3-17, Lk 23:39-43 and Jn 8:3-11.
By Gabriel Ouma

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