James 4:15 “Instead you should say, if the Lord wills, we shall live, and do this or that.”

“I will, with God’s help” is our response at many crucial moments to our life in Christ: Baptism, Confirmation, and Ordination, for example. In fact, God’s help is available in every day situations too. It’s God will to guide us in ways unique to every situation.

But often when we are called by God to do something good, anything really, whether in or out of the church, we can be tempted to think we are “independent contractors” or “secret agents”…i.e. we get our orders, go do the job ourselves, and report back to the boss later.

So it is, when we feel the need to invite people to church, or help the poor, or comfort the hurting, or even, and this is hard part, forgive one another for past disagreements. Instead of saying, “I will, with God’s help,”  we stop at, “I will” and then are disappointed at the result, because we haven’t allowed ourselves to be strengthened by God’s Grace.

In the last two months, many parishioners have said to me, “Now that you’re here Fr. Tom…this will happen.” (Fill in the blank.) Or, “We should do this.” Or “You will do this.” These are okay for conversation starters, but let’s finish that thought, “with God’s help” and rely on the One whose “power is made perfect when we are weak.” We will, with God’s help!