“Here I am, Lord! Send me.”

              When one is called by the Lord — and we all have been summoned by virtue of our baptism—it is natural to be a bit fearful. We may entertain negative thoughts, such as, “I must be mistaken; God wouldn’t be calling me.” or “I don’t know enough. What could I do?” or even, “I’m not comfortable with sharing my faith; besides, I have enough on my plate, I don’t have the time.” We should not let these pessimistic thoughts overpower us because God’s grace is sufficient. He will provide all that we need to complete our mission in life. You may ask, “Mission, I have a mission?” The answer is a resounding, “YES!”

God has a special purpose for you alone. You were created to fulfill God’s work. It does not mean you have to become a priest, or a religious brother or a religious sister, although that may be a possibility. By fulfilling your particular role in life to the best of your ability, you are carrying out your mission in life, and this brings glory to God.

As a parent, creating a loving, accepting, and peaceful home is an awesome task. As your child/ren’s first and most important teacher, you can cultivate in them a love and understanding of the Catholic faith. Through your witness of making prayer and participation in the sacraments a priority in your family, you are developing in them a love for Jesus, His teachings, and His Church. If you are single, your participation in the sacraments is a witness to your fellow parishioners. For us priests and religious sisters, teaching and bringing Christ to the world is our mission.

Each of us is called to be all that God is calling us to be in our particular station in life. Being kind, charitable, and respectful to all those we encounter on a daily basis is definitely fulfilling Jesus’ commandment to love one another. We need not be afraid because with God’s life and grace in us, all things are possible. Therefore, in confidence we can proclaim, “Here I am, Lord! Send me.”

In Mary’s Immaculate Heart, I am,
Sister Mary