Saint Paul makes it clear in the first reading that he puts it all on the line to be a missionary disciple. He surrenders his whole life and his whole will to be an instrument of the Gospel to win souls for Christ.
Faith tells us that if we truly surrender to the Lord in faith, then He will strengthen us in all things. Yet, many of us are hesitant to follow in the footsteps of Paul to be a missionary disciple to the world around us.
Saint Catherine of Siena famously said, "Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire." God meant for us to be missionary disciples, but too often we fall to the lies that have been fed to us by the world, the flesh, and the devil. The lies that have become planks in our eyes preventing us from seeing the true invitation of Christ and preventing us from being fully trained to be like Him. The lie that we are not good enough. The lie that we don't know enough. The lie that we don't have anything to offer. Lies, upon lies, upon lies.
The truth is that each of us have a story of how the love of God is made visible in our lives. That story can be a source of strength for someone else struggling in their faith. That story can be an invitation for someone to re-engage in their faith if they have been away for a while. That story can be an opening for spiritual healing a person that desperately needs it. That story can introduce someone to Christ that may otherwise never have an opportunity to hear the good news.
As the Eucharistic revival continues, we will become more acquainted with the phrase "maintenance to mission". This transition will be our invitation to remove the planks from our eyes that often prevent us from engaging in missionary discipleship.
Saint John Chrysostom said, "The bee is more honored than other animals, not because she labors, but because she labors for others." We need more bees in the vineyard...bees that are willing to spread the pollen of the Eucharist to others. Missionary disciples that can build relationships, create trust, and accompany others on their spiritual journey to a deeper relationship with Christ in order that they may become missionary disciples in their own right.
That is our spiritual invitation today. Contemplate how Jesus Christ is calling us to be missionary disciples in this moment of Eucharistic Revival.
Be the bee, and set the world of fire.
Thanks be to God!
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