Unfulfilled Potential (12/16/2025)

“Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what is still possible for you to do.” St. Pope John XXIII

As I read the inspirational quote for the day from my desktop book The Wisdom of the Saints: 365 Days of Inspiration published by Blue Sparrow, my mind flew back 35 years to a confirmation retreat for high school juniors at Camp Gray. I had been asked to facilitate the retreat by the parish in Portage. There was one young man on the retreat, his name was Tony, who was not shy about telling me he thought the weekend was a waste. And as I spoke, I saw his folded arms across his chest as a sign of being closed off. When I asked the group to do exercises or activities to bring points home, he did but he looked about as happy as a sailor with a leaky boat.

Saturday evening, we had one more activity before night prayer. I gave each of the youth a wad of playdough and asked them to fashion a symbol for themselves. Everyone was working frantically, talking to one another as they fashioned their symbol; everyone, that is except Tony. He took his wad of clay, squeezed it two or three times and then plopped in front of him on the table.

When everyone was done, I went around the room asking the candidates to explain their creations and what they symbolized about them. The group was really into it.  Most of them had taken it seriously. I saved Tony for last. When I got to him, I asked, “What is this. I can’t quite make it out.” Without hesitation he picked it up and showed it to me more closely and explained, “It’s potential.” Then he went on to explain that he hadn’t figured it out yet, but he had come to realize the potential the LORD had woven within him, the potential for good.

I learned a lot from Tony even though I was supposed to be the teacher. I learned not to judge another on appearances. I learned that prayer works because I saw a real change in Tony; I’m not sure if it was my prayer for him or his own prayer for himself, but the Spirit was with Tony. And I learned through example to live more perfectly Pope John XXIII’s holy advice.

In this the 3^rd week of Advent when we are to focus on joy, let us truly focus on the good, let us hope and dream, let us open ourselves fully to the potential the LORD has woven within us, the potential for loving goodness to live out loud.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.