To Choose or to be Chosen

"It was not you who chose Me, it is I who have chosen you."

(John 15:16)

We live

too comfortably

with the naive notion

that we

come to God

strictly by our own choice.

We blithely speak of

"asking to be baptized',

or "entering religious life",

as though these steps

are taken solely and primarily

at our discretion.

We are seemingly oblivious

of the fact

that it is God

who takes the initiative

in these and in every instance

of drawing near.

He always makes

the first move.