Only One

I am only one, just one, a single person and yet you call out my name.  I stutter when answering because I am just one person, a single person, why do you call my name?  I fear responding to Your call because I am just me, one person.  What is it that I can do, being only one person?  There it is again, my name, You call me and I cower for what can just one person do, there is no power, no intimidating factor about my person, so why call upon me?  And still You call, my name clearly stated, do You actually mean to call out my name?  I can hide from You no longer, the more I hide, the louder You get, okay, I am hear, me and my single person.  I know not why You call upon me, I have no special powers, I hold no special office, I am, just me, but I am hear, I am listening.  And now You go silent, I do not understand.  Where have You gone, why can I not hear You?  I looked for You among the crowds but found only lost souls, people searching for something, anything.  We spoke, we talked about life, about difficult times and how faith can carry one through.  Their faces puzzled at the mention of faith, it was as if they knew not its power, they knew not its truths.  But there they sat, listening and hearing with their heart; I could see a glimmer of hope in their eyes as we departed I had to leave, I was looking for You.  So I left and stumbled upon a woman with tears in her eyes, I put my hand on her shoulder, I looked into her eyes and asked what I could do.  Suddenly I found a stranger in my arms, I held her close; neither of us spoke and when she pulled away, her eyes told me she was okay.  Still on my search for You, I walked to the water, the river raged with fury, splashing the banks and ripping over the islands.  There, on the banks, a child paying no attention to the power of the water, too close to the edge, one rip of the current and this young child would be taken.  I call out to the child who pays no attention to me, yet the father, now aware, runs to the river bank and picks up the child.  Our eyes meet, we nod and part ways.  I look at my watch and realize that there is a special service tonight, I have to be able to find You at church!  I rush over and the church is packed yet I manage to find a seat.  "Oh, Lord, I am here, where are you?"  I sit in the pew, right next to me is a kid coloring and a mom who has her hands full with two other kids, both under the age of  2.  The young child looks at me an hands me a crayon while pushing over her coloring book.  The look in her eyes says, 'Please just color'.  Torn, I want to find You, God, but this child wants so badly my attention.  I color with the child, she smiles from ear to ear, she puts all of the crayons in reach and we color throughout the service.  She waves as she leaves with her family, that is when I realize the service is over and I still have not found You.  I depart for home when the priests sees me and asks me to do him a favor, "You see Mr. Brown has not been able to get out for the last week and you know he never misses services, I was wondering if you would be able to stop over and pray with him a bit and give him communion?  My plan was to go over tonight but I just got a call about a parishioner being rushed to the hospital, would you be able to spend time with Mr. Brown?"  I was exhausted but how could I say no?  Off to Mr. Brown's I went.  At first I was a bit awkward, not knowing what to say or how to pray with him but he mentioned his favorite gospel was Matthew and I chose the Parable of the Talents to read.  We talked a long time about its meaning and how this particular lesson impacted his life and gave him purpose.  It was like I finally understood this passage,  my ahha moment.  Together we prayed the Lord's Prayer, I gave him Communion and I departed.  As I returned home, I found myself wondering where I went wrong, why I couldn't find Your in all of my searches.  I closed my eyes and heard my name..."You have got to be kidding, I am ready to sleep after a long day!  Can't this wait until tomorrow?"  And so I close my eyes, attempting to sleep but, again, my name is called.  "I don't know why You are calling my name, what can I do?  Not only am I only one person, I spent the day searching for You and came up with nothing.  What is it You ask of me for I am only one person, A single person who fell short in today's search.  Are you sure You are calling the right person?"

"Yes, it is you that I call, Your name that I speak.  Only one person you are not; falling short you did not.  Look back at your day, only one person touched the lives of a crowd of people, you shared with them you, shared with them your faith, they felt My presence in you. Touched by your faith, the felt life again, they revisited their past and hoped for a further lined in love; you gave them that hope; your actions resonated truth, a truth they had long forgotten.  Then there was the woman with whom you embraced and though you exchanged no words, your hearts spoke.  You comforted her, her soul reinvigorated by faith, the faith you shared.  The boy on the bank, his life spared because you took the time to notice, to be aware of the world around you.  Humbly you approach your surroundings, knowing your oneness with others, with nature.  With the child you colored, you made her feel important; you honored her person, she smiled and I hugged her.  She entered lonely and left filled with love.  With Mr. brown you prayed, you listened as he spoke, you gave him a voice, a voice he had not spoken for some time.  All these things, only one person accomplished in a short amount of time; a single person, you.  You brought My promises to others, your actions of faith shared My love with perfect strangers, all because of you, each revisited love, My love.  That's you, single you, pure of heart, willing to act, overly nostalgic, lovingly yielding, observant, nothing escapes your heart...only one.  One is all I need when that one allows faith to lead and accepts My love with open arms.  You are one, one who makes a difference.  Humility your strength, for you are a mighty one, not an only one.  Embrace such strength, continue to live your faith and listen.  I will call your name, you are the one I call."

Observant, nothing escapes...ONE.  One is powerful, one makes a difference when that one relies upon faith, relies upon the promises of the Father, and relishes not in the ego.  Only, a derivative of humility while one spent is awareness of a unified humanity.  Only one, it takes only one.   Are you willing to be ONLY ONE?