Responding to First Reactions by Maria

"Every Christian is a missionary to the extent that he or she has encountered the love of God in Christ Jesus,"  Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 118.

As we share the news about our upcoming adventure, we have been receiving lots of different responses.  Often I hear the genuine, “Wow, that’s big!” Or sometimes I hear the surprised, “Family missions...I didn't know that was a thing!”  Other times I hear the immediate question of “What do the kids think?”  Once in awhile I get a tearful, “We will miss you!” and occasionally I get the conversation stopping, “That's…...interesting.”  But the response I get more commonly than any others is, “Wow, I could never do that!” or it’s blunter counterpart, “Better you than me!”  

It is these last two responses that have tugged at my heart every single time I hear them.  As I continue those conversations I have been finding that the idea of “I could never do that” there is sometimes the underlying lie that “going” is more important than “staying.”  That somehow we have something more important to do.  While what we are doing is out of the ordinary and we need others to help to sustain our mission, what we are being called to is no more important than what you are called to.  The Lord has a plan and a mission for each and every one of us.  Your mission is to be the hands and feet of Christ exactly where you are.  Whether you are called to bring integrity, compassion, and service to the workplace, diligence and kindness in to your classroom, patience and love as you help your children with math worksheets and wipe off muddy little feet, bringing a little joy to a neighbor who needs it as you walk your dog around the neighborhood, love and faithfulness in your marriage, focusing on the crucified Christ in your suffering, or wherever it is that the Lord has you right now, you have a mission.  Christ has not forgotten about you, or just left you to work through life on your own.  He is with you, and has a way He wants to be preset to you.  He wants you to know His love for you, and He has a plan for you to share His love with others.  

So who are the poor, needy, lonely, hungry and hurting in your life?  Who is Christ calling you to love?  Where does He need you to share His light and His mercy?  One of the best things that could happen is, if you look at our lives and see the fingerprint of a God who wants to be intimately involved in your life, and wants to include you in His work.  

“Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23-24