It is a maxim as old as the hills that “with great power comes great responsibility.” Or maybe it’s from a Spiderman movie. Who can say? Regardless, the fact remains that every gift and blessing in this life comes with the concomitant responsibility to use it in a worthy manner, or at least in accord with the intent in which the giver offered it. I have my grandfather’s shoeshine kit that is older than my parents, and every time I bust it out I think about the responsibility of having something that’s been in the family for such a long time, even if it’s as seemingly insignificant a shoeshine kit. Every gift carries with it a responsibility.
The miracle that Our Lord works in today’s Gospel is carried over directly into the Rite of Baptism of children, and it expressly marks the fact that the gift of our senses are intended for a purpose greater than ourselves. Immediately following the baptism, the priest or deacon makes the sign of the cross on the infant’s mouth and ears and says “The Lord Jesus made the deaf to hear and the mute to speak. May He soon touch your ears to receive His Word, and your mouth to proclaim His Faith, to the praise and Glory of God.” Those who were on the receiving end of the miracles that Jesus worked must have understood well that their sight, hearing, or ability to walk were not returned for no purpose. These walking witnesses to the power of Christ were sent out into the world to show how Jesus changed their lives and to invite others into this transformation as well Whether you’re a cradle Catholic or were welcomed into the faith later, you have received more than just the power to speak and hear. You have been given the power, and therefore, also the responsibility, to reflect on the word of God and become a prophet in this age. We are anointed priest, prophet, and king, and to not exercise that responsibility is to squander a great gift from God. The fact that I dress like a priest virtually everywhere I go takes away my ability to shy away from these opportunities. Unless you happen to run into me on the golf course or on my all too infrequent trips to the gym, you would know that I am set apart for the service of God. Clerical attire serves much the same function as a wedding band for me; an incarnational reminder of the mission on which I have been sent.
The fact that you, as God’s chosen people living in the world, do not bear such an overt sign of your call, does not lessen the graces or responsibility placed upon you in baptism. In fact, there will be opportunities to speak God’s word into the lives of people that would be simply inaccessible to me for any number of reasons. Our vocations go hand in hand to work together to evangelize the nations.
As we hear about Jesus reaching into one particular man’s life and restoring his senses, remember that He has done the same for us in our baptism and confirmation. We have been given a heart for God’s word and a voice for His mission. Take time this week to offer praise and thanksgiving for all the gifts, big and small, in your life. Then, pray about how He is asking you to use them, and respond in generosity.