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| John Henry Cardinal Newman www.appleseeds.org/Newman_My-Mission.htm J ry Cardinal Newman |
Meditations on Christian Doctrine
(399)
I. Hope in God—Creator
(2)
March 7,
1848
1.
2.
God has created me to do Him some definite service;
He has committed some work to me
which He has not committed to another.
I have my mission—I never may know it in this life,
but I shall be told it in the next.
God was all-complete, all-blessed in Himself;
but it was His will to create a world for His glory.
He is Almighty, and might have done all things Himself,
but it has been His will to bring about His purposes
by the beings He has created.
We are all created to His glory—we are created to do His will.
I am created to do something or
to be something for which no one else is created;
I have a place in God's counsels, in God's world,
which no one else has; whether I be rich or poor,
despised or esteemed by man,
God knows me and calls me by my name.
but it was His will to create a world for His glory.
He is Almighty, and might have done all things Himself,
but it has been His will to bring about His purposes
by the beings He has created.
We are all created to His glory—we are created to do His will.
I am created to do something or
to be something for which no one else is created;
I have a place in God's counsels, in God's world,
which no one else has; whether I be rich or poor,
despised or esteemed by man,
God knows me and calls me by my name.
2.
God has created me to do Him some definite service;
He has committed some work to me
which He has not committed to another.
I have my mission—I never may know it in this life,
but I shall be told it in the next.
Somehow I am necessary for His purposes…
I have a part in this great work;
I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection
between persons.
He has not created me for naught. I shall do good,
I shall do His work;
I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth
in my own place, while not intending it,
if I do but keep His commandments
and serve Him in my calling.
I have a part in this great work;
I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection
between persons.
He has not created me for naught. I shall do good,
I shall do His work;
I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth
in my own place, while not intending it,
if I do but keep His commandments
and serve Him in my calling.
3.
Therefore I will trust Him.
Whatever, wherever I am,
I can never be thrown away.
If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him;
In perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him;
If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him.
My sickness, or perplexity, or sorrow may be
necessary causes of some great end,
which is quite beyond us.
He does nothing in vain; He may prolong my life,
He may shorten it;
He knows what He is about.
He may take away my friends,
He may throw me among strangers,
He may make me feel desolate,
make my spirits sink, hide the future from me—
still He knows what He is about.…
Let me be Thy blind instrument. I ask not to see—
I ask not to know—I ask simply to be used.
Therefore I will trust Him.
Whatever, wherever I am,
I can never be thrown away.
If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him;
In perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him;
If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him.
My sickness, or perplexity, or sorrow may be
necessary causes of some great end,
which is quite beyond us.
He does nothing in vain; He may prolong my life,
He may shorten it;
He knows what He is about.
He may take away my friends,
He may throw me among strangers,
He may make me feel desolate,
make my spirits sink, hide the future from me—
still He knows what He is about.…
Let me be Thy blind instrument. I ask not to see—
I ask not to know—I ask simply to be used.
O
Adonai, O Ruler of Israel,
Thou that guidest Joseph like a flock,
O Emmanuel, O Sapientia, I give myself to Thee.
I trust Thee wholly.
Thou art wiser than I—more loving to me than I myself.
Deign to fulfil Thy high purposes in me whatever they be—
work in and through me.
I am born to serve Thee, to be Thine, to be Thy instrument.
Let me be Thy blind instrument.
I ask not to see—I ask not to know—I ask simply to be used.
from Meditations and Devotions,
"Meditations on Christian Doctrine,"
"Hope in God—Creator", March 7, 1848
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