“He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. You
are my servant, he said to me, through whom I will
show my glory.” Isaiah 49:2-3

In Part 1, we covered that we are meant to be a “Polished Arrow” in the Lord’s quiver. If we are surrendered and obedient to Him, He can use us as a vessel for His power and purposes at a moments notice to accomplish His will. We covered the basic components of a Polished Arrow as an analogy to the Spiritual Life. In Part 2, we reflected on the making (preparation) of a Polished Arrow that would be fit for the Lord’s Quiver – not an easy process, but a fruitful one. In this last in the series Part 3, we will cover The Engagement of a Polished Arrow, as an Easter reflection on truly being a vessel of God’s resurrection power in and through your life – which is the ultimate goal of discipleship and making a difference for Christ in the world.

In our Catholic faith, we have so many examples of “Polished Arrows in the Lord’s Quiver” in the Company of Saints. They bear witness to “dying to self” in order to become a vessel for God’s power and purposes, and whose lives as “Polished Arrows” give glory to God by making God’s Resurrection Power alive and real in the lives of His servants. If we truly understand that we are all meant to become saints, we can reflect often on what it means to desire this conversion of heart and transformation. If we desire to be a vessel for God’s purposes, and allow ourselves to be prepared by the Lord as a conduit for God’s power, it will lead to the three hallmark characteristics of a true “Polished Arrow”: Humility, Trust and Perseverance.

Let’s use the example of the Holy Family as the finest possible examples of being a Polished Arrow in God’s Quiver, and the miraculous power and divine fruit that can result:
Jesus – as the Son of God, Jesus showed us the way of true humility, trust, and perseverance – most especially during his passion and death when he humbled Himself to die on a Cross for our sins, trusted completely in the Father’s plan and mission for Him, and persevered in faithfulness to the end to give the Father glory and honor.

Mary – as the Mother of Jesus, Mary too modeled for us such incredible humility of heart, trust in the Father’s “unbelievable” plan and what He asked of her, and perseverance in faith and love through the suffering and sacrifice the Father’s plan required of her.

Joseph – as the foster father of Jesus, St. Joseph also shared the same humility, trust, and perseverance that allowed the Father’s plan to come to fruition through his obedience. Joseph may be the member of the Holy Family that we can most directly relate to. I wrote this the day after the Solemnity of St. Joseph, and an excerpt from The Magnificat meditation by Pope Francis on St Joseph says it all about being a true “Polished Arrow” for the Lord:

“By accepting himself according to God’s design, Joseph fully finds himself, beyond himself. His freedom to renounce what is his, the possession of his very life, and his full interior availability to the will of God challenge us and show us the way.”

I pray that God will grant us all the grace to become and live as “Polished Arrows in the Lord’s Quiver”. Go now, as a living sacrifice and vessel of God’s Resurrection Power! He is Risen!

Bill Bojan