Crazy – wise, weak – strong, noble – unborn, nothing and something… When choosing from these opposites, everything speaks of intelligence, strength, nobility, and respect. After all, they are God’s gifts. And yet, God does not deny his gifts. But hidden in wisdom, power, and majesty is the inherent danger of appropriating God’s work, or at least letting it be attributed with satisfaction, “showing off”! That is why God builds on the stone that the human builders rejected, on foolishness, weakness, and on that which is not born. And this is not because it is foolishness, weakness, and worthlessness, but because it is closer to holiness, and the work that grows here unmistakably points to the authorship of God. God’s greatness is independent of man’s greatness.
What Paul announced as a program, history confirmed as a fact in such figures as Saint Francis of Assisi, John Vianney, Catherine of Siena, Margot Alacoque, and Teresa of Calcutta… It is also shown in the small histories of individuals. The greatness of God’s revelations is often associated with a thorn in the flesh that humiliates to the point of hopelessness. Paul begged the Lord three times to withdraw from him. “My grace is enough for you.” God’s power is shown precisely in weakness.
In our life, extremes come together, a shameful mixture of folly and wisdom, weakness and strength, humiliation and nobility, nothing and something. And above all, this is God the Creator, God the Savior, and God the Sanctifier. So what can I offer you, Lord? Everything! Especially your unwisdom and weakness, your poor alternation of such and such moments, so that your signature on the work is apparent so that I “could not stand out”! There is also a genius Thomas in the church and an uneducated parish priest from Ar. There are also cedars of Lebanon and broken reeds, dazzling flames, and smoking wicks…
But does a broken reed have the right to remain a fractured reed forever? It’s easier. Shouldn’t he want to straighten up? Does a smoking wick have the right to stay a smoking wick forever when it can catch fire under God’s breath? I am not asking you, Lord, to withdraw from me, but that your strength may be manifested in my weakness so that I may praise you!
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