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DISCIPLES FIRST, THEN MISSIONARIES
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Dear parishioners,
We are drawing closer to the Feast of our redemption. But in order to meaningfully celebrate Easter, we must first accompany the Lord in his passion and death. Lent affords us the opportunity to intentionally take on certain disciplines of prayer, charity and self-mortification as we seek to draw closer to the Lord. By our fasting and abstinence we train our bodies not to desire inordinate comfort and pleasure that are threats to discipleship. We must never forget the one summons that the Lord addresses to us - “Come, follow me.”
This is all the Lord asks of us - to be his disciples. Disciples are those who leave everything to follow the Lord, not for sordid gain, or the promises that come with the call, but out of love for the one who calls them. We must continue daily to renew this decision which we either made for ourselves or was made on our behalf at our baptism.
Jesus called disciples to himself in order that he might send them out - to be missionaries, to gather others into the fold. Disciples never keep the Good News of Jesus to themselves; they share it with others. Our parish is a community that builds and sends disciples. We equip our parishioners so that they know Jesus for themselves and then share him with others whom the Lord brings them in contact with. This mission is for the young and the old, strong and weak, male and female, everyone!
We are so glad to have young parishioners who are generously responding to the invitation of Jesus to “Go make disciples of all nations.” They seek to mission to their fellow young people, thereby bringing them to come experience the love of the heart of God.
This week I am glad to introduce Allison (Ally) Brown to you and our young sons and daughters, brothers and sisters. Originally from Ohio, Ally moved to South Bend, Indiana to work as an engineer. She has since immersed herself in our parish community and serves as Cantor and Lector at the 8pm Mass. Ally has grown in her love for Jesus and feels called to mission.
She will be abandoning her job to go be full-time missionary with NET ministries for the next year. Alongside other young Catholic men and women they will spread the joy of the Gospel to their fellow young people.
Please pray for Ally and her would-be community of missionaries that their labor would bear good fruits. Also, I ask that you support her in whatever ways you feel called to, as she would be without any income for the next year.
This is indeed a huge sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel. I am convinced that it will certainly be rewarded by the Lord, who cannot be outdone in generosity.
May Jesus bless you, and may Our Lady protect you!
Fr. Julius