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many of you know, my journey towards the priesthood began with a very different
vision of ministry than where I find myself at the present time.
When I first began to discern the call of the Lord in my life, I believed
that it was to do God’s work in the foreign missions.
That led me to connect with the Xaverian Missionaries with whom I studied
for three years.
After some time, it became clear to me that I was not cut out for community life, nor for the challenges that being a missionary involved. Encouraged by my pastor, I made the decision to apply to the Diocese of Paterson with the hope of becoming a parish priest – and the rest is history. Although I did not continue with the Xaverians, I have maintained a deep and abiding respect for the work that they and other missionaries are doing on behalf of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The devoted and courageous men and women inspire me with the sacrifices they make in their ministry of evangelization. Day by day, often with their very lives in jeopardy, they persist in their efforts to build the Kingdom of God in whatever place in the world they are sent. To me they are the hands, the feet, the very heart of Christ, reaching out to others with the love of the Lord. It is so very important that we support them in this difficult task, not only financially but also with our constant prayer on their behalf..
That is why each year we take a weekend to celebrate World Mission Sunday, soas to express our solidarity with all those involved in the mission work of the Church and to challenge ourselves to nurture a missionary spirit in our own lives and in the life of our community.
What does it mean for us to have this kind of spirit? To me, it means asking ourselves if we are willing to make the sacrifices that discipleship demands. It means being willing to follow the command of Jesus to love one another not only when it is comfortable and convenient, but also when it involves going out of our way and doing what may be difficult. It means extending ourselves beyond what serves our own needs to what serves the needs of others.
When I listen to the stories recounted to me by missionaries, of their work in the mission field, I find them nothing less than heroic. The amazing thing is that for them, these same stories are nothing more than accounts of simply doing what God asks of them.
This is the missionary spirit – a spirit of humility – that works not for applause and vainglory, but rather for God alone and the glory of His Name.
Taken from the Weekly bulletin of St. Gerard’s Parish in Paterson, NJ
(From Xaverian Mission Newsletter)