The Lord sends us on mission by our baptism. The mission is proclaiming to others about the Kingdom of God. It will not be an easy task as Jesus mentions in the Gospel, he is sending his disciples out like lambs among wolves. Jesus sends us out to be peaceful like lambs to those who may react like wolves. There are people in our life that may reject us because of our beliefs or reject our invitation. Even so, this urgent mission should not be delayed because of its difficulty. When we experience difficulty, we are to remain at peace, plant the seed, and move on with faith that the Holy Spirit will bring about a change of heart. Our initial rejection has the potential for a welcoming renewal.
When I was visiting a homeless shelter, I would speak to those about my faith. Sometimes, I became the target of a barrage of verbal unpleasantries including comments about the Vatican or abuses in the Church. I continued my mission there and in one instance a homeless veteran wanted to learn more about scripture and to pray the rosary. One day when I was leaving the shelter after a difficult visit, a resident came out to the parking lot to catch me before I left. This man was one of the folks who loved to point out all the ills in the Church, so I was not expecting what happened next. He told me he appreciated me. He said he admired how I came back to visit them even under difficult circumstances and never strayed from my faith. He saw I was not discouraged by rejection but interacted with others peacefully. He told me that he started thinking about what I said, and his mind was more open to the faith than before! All I could think at that moment was the Holy Spirit was at work.
Do not be discouraged or try to fix everyone. When we are on mission, the Lord will use our strengths in conjunction with the Holy Spirit to accomplish wonderful things. Through peaceful discussions and acts of love we will work the harvest and may even gain new laborers for the mission. Have a blessed week on mission!
