Faith in our Hearts

Walk with Jesus!

7 He summoned the Twelve[a] and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. 8 [b]He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts. 9 They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. 10 [c]He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there. 11 Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” 12 So they went off and preached repentance. 13 [d]They drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.-Mark6:7-13

How does it take to be a missionary? What must one do to have a "staying" power? I realized that we, humans, cannot do anything on our own. Everything comes from God and through God. Some people say we should unlock our potentials so that the "superhuman" in us will come out. These people even justify it by quoting Jesus' Words, "... you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." But the truth is this, Jesus said, "Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." It is through faith that we can move mountains. But faith is something that did not originate in us but is still a call, an invitation a grace and gift from God for us to accept and respond.

Image courtesy: Makulot Mountain

A Missionary Heart

Prescription to the missionary.

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy[-two][b] others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. 2 He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. 3 Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. 4 [c]Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. 5 Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’[d] 6 If a peaceful person[e] lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. 8 Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, 9 cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’-Luke10:1-9

This is Jesus' prescription to His apostles. In fact, this is His prescription to missionaries. Though some of Jesus' prescription is not followed to the letter because of the changing time, still, it is the best way to go about doing missionary work - to go in pairs, to ask for more vocations to religious life and clergy, to be brave, to travel light, to preach, teach and evangelize to those who are in need of God more (i.e. Godless people), wishing "Peace" to all, to be humble and open to what is given, to be contented, to go to places where God is needed (Godless nations), to cure the sick (if gift is there) and to proclaim the Good News. Each person can be a missionary. How? By his/her day-to-day activities or witnessing where God is visible in his/her words, thoughts and actions. We can proclaim the Good News and share Christ's love to others even when we are working at the office, through our interactions with people, through our actions of love, and so forth. All it takes is a little creativity.

Image courtesy: artist