“Most people have no idea what God could make of them if only they would place themselves at His disposal” (St. Ignatius of Loyola).
St. Ignatius, a master of the spiritual life, reminds us in this sentence how much God loves to make each person what they really are. In each person must shine forth that which most glorifies our Father and ennobles them.
Who could do this better than God Himself?
If we could rid ourselves of all the false images or false ideals that we carry within us or that we have adopted from the world, we would have gained much.
“Make me, Father, what I really am! Then I will not have to think of myself as I ought to be; I will not have to compare myself; I will not be dependent on what people think of me or what I think they expect of me”.
When we place ourselves in God’s hands, day after day, and place ourselves totally at His disposal, something will change in our lives and we will notice how He begins to transform us. Even more carefully than the most delicate artist crafts his work, the Spirit will mold us into the image of God. It is not so much what we have to do ourselves. On the contrary, we often hinder His work and want to put too much of ourselves into the reconstruction of our image. But then it becomes rather artificial and not really beautiful.
But if we take the step of trust and give ourselves completely to the Father, we will be able to wait attentively to see what He makes of us. Our image will be much more beautiful and authentic than we could have imagined in our most creative religious fantasies.
Let us give our Father the joy of completing the work of His love. Is it not written that after creating man, “God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good” (Gen 1:31)?
Shaped by His hands, the work of art will be very good… And we will be amazed!