its's the ego - 16th week Saturday

Today on the feast of St. James the Greater we read from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians. Paul talked about his ministry as an apostle and he is telling the people of Corinth that the source of his ability to preach the gospel is not found in himself.  The credit belongs to God and to God alone. "We have this treasure, in earthen vessels, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us." 

We are all clay jars and God has placed his treasures in these jars to serve his purpose.

Our responsibilities can tempt us and pull us into two directions.  First, we can be tempted to be proud.  This is what I have done, this is what I have achieved, this is what I did.  In pride we attribute to ourselves what is not truly ours.

Second, we can be tempted to discouragement.  I am useless, I have nothing to offer, I cannot deliver, I am not effective.  In discouragement as it is with pride we still want to grab the credit.

When the ego is bloated, successes make us want to grab the honor and failures affect us deeply and tremendously.  When the ego is bloated we want to be controlling, trying to determine the outcome.  Many times we forget that we are instruments.  We forget that we are vessels.