Collaborators (04/29/2025)

Today is a special day – the feast of my patron saint, Catherine of Siena. I was baptized on her feast day in 1950. I remember studying her in school. When I was a teenager, I learned that she was a feisty woman. I liked that. As an adult, I studied her more and read her work, “The Dialogue.” I carry its lessons with me to this day. Perhaps the most important of all is that we aren’t created to be Lone Rangers but rather collaborators in the LORD with one another.

So many times in my life, I have taken off as if I were “in charge.” And along the way, as I struggle, I am reminded of Catherine and her awareness through the LORD of the need for reliance upon the LORD. Life goes better when we open ourselves to the Spirit and allow the Spirit to guide us and strengthen us.

But it goes beyond that. We are also called to open ourselves to the LORD at work in others, to their gifts, their contributions to the world. We are called to collaborate with others for good. As I look back at my life and the most satisfying moments, I must admit that they are usually in a group with every individual doing their part, utilizing their gifts.

I have had to learn to put down my natural “I can do it myself” and pick up instead the gift of collaboration only possible through cooperation. In doing this, I find that we all succeed.

We are all on the same journey with the same destination. We all have gifts for the journey, but none of us have every gift. We need to rely upon the LORD for guidance and grace and we need to strive together for love of the LORD and one another. In doing so, we not only address the issue at hand, but we also grow in our love for the LORD who never disappoints and for one another.

One of the many things that I love about our current bishop is his insistence upon working with others. He specifically chooses to come for a visit when he can roll up his sleeves and work alongside others. He understands that shared labor – collaboration – not only gets the tasks done more quickly but also more satisfactorily allowing us to not just do a task but grow a relationship.

As we go forth this day, continuing our journeys, it is my prayer that we will all look for ways to collaborate with our loving and generous LORD and with one another. And as we pray the Our Father this day, may we recognize that “Thy kingdom come” happens best when we collaborate with the LORD and whole heartedly seek to realize “Thy will be done” by collaborating with those around us. Imagine what we could do for love of and for the glory of God.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.