Is Your Mission Sitting in Your Pew?

mission

As Christians we all have a mission.  Christ commissioned all of us to go forth and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20).

After the Ascension of Our Lord, Christianity quickly spread from Judea to Europe and North Africa.  Ironically, the infrastructure built by Rome helped Christianity to spread quickly even as Rome mustered all its might to suppress the early Church.

Even India was seeded with Christianity in the first century.  Other parts of the world, however, waited centuries for missionaries to bring the good news of the Gospels.

Missionaries often undertook harrowing journeys to carry the Gospel to those around the world.  Scholars believe Christian monks reached the middle kingdom (China) in the seventh century.  Missionaries braved the Atlantic to build of the Cathedral of Santo Domingo (modern day Dominican Republic) in 1512.

In today’s world, Christianity is practiced on every continent (including the Antarctic), and nearly every nation.  Unfortunately, in some places Christians still have to practice in secret.

Reaching All Nations Has Become Easy

In today’s modern world, it is easy to journey to other nations.  Jacques Marquette’s travels along the Mississippi River can be driven today in a less than a day.  Travel which would have taken months to complete just 200 years ago, can now be accomplished in hours by airplane.

With this luxurious ease in travel, Christians can find a multitude of opportunities to engage in mission work around the world.  College students can easily take a semester mission trip to another country to support building projects and act as witnesses to Christ’s teaching.

Some would argue that today’s technology allows us to witness to those around the world, even those barred politically from hearing the Gospels of Christ.

But as wonderful as such activities are in promoting the teachings of Christ, all of us must be cognizant of those around us.  So perhaps we are missing something.

Stepping Over the Needy in Your Hometown

Allow me to paraphrase one of my colleagues.  “It seems we step over the needy in our hometown to help the needy overseas.”

When I first heard this, I was not just skeptical of the claim, but outright indignant.  After some reflection, however, I conceded and took to heart what my friend was telling me.  While most of us reading Catholic Stand are blessed to live in rich countries, many of our neighbors still need someone to reach out a missionary hand.

When we look for the needy, most of us think in terms of food and material possessions.  Be that as it may, people live not on bread alone (Matthew 4:4).

When looking at someone with a car, a cell phone, and a waist line with no sign of a missed meal, it is difficult see someone who needs a missionary hand when compared to an outcast leper in a third world country.  Yet such a person may be blessed with material possessions and still be spiritually poor.

Looking for the Needy in Your Own Pew

Currently, my wife and I are members of a parish based at a large university.  The parish is a mix of students and resident parishioners.

If one were to step back and look for a moment, one can sort most of those attending Mass into one of four groups: A local resident family, a group of students who know each other, a lone student, and a lone, older local resident.

Yet all of the people in these groups are blessed.  For instance, the students are privileged to be attending a university to help prepare them for a productive life.  Be that as it may, many who attend mass in my parish are still in need.

Consider how a lone student or lone, older resident feels week after week when a family in front is hugging and smiling during the sign of peace.  Or consider how a lone student feels on his or her birthday with no one saying “happy birthday!”  Consider how a lone, older resident feels on the anniversary of his or her spouse’s death.

So even among the most privileged in the world, there are those in need.

A shy, young, awkward student may not know what to say or do.  As such, the student will sit alone at the parish picnic not wanting to impose on others.  All this while his or her spirit atrophies with a craving for fellowship.

Reaching Out to Those in Your Pew

Take my colleague’s advice and do not step over those in your pew!  At the end of mass, reach out to those around you.  Start by simply learning a person’s name.  However, knowing someone’s name is just a first step.

I would suspect that a lone parishioner is thirsting to be heard.  Listening to a person’s story is an essential step in understanding his or her point of view and building trust.  For many, just being heard is necessary for their spirit to thrive.

Perhaps this is our mission.  Making disciples of all nations also means making disciples in our own nation.  It means making disciples of those closest to us, not just those who live a far.

Reach out to those in your pew.  They may be in need.   And remember, when it comes to evangelizing, delivery is important.

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3 thoughts on “Is Your Mission Sitting in Your Pew?”

  1. “Is Your Mission Sitting in Your Pew?”
    Here’s a Christian suggestion for mission: Mt 24:14
    Perhaps teaching is the most important part of that.
    Mr 6:34. “Well, on getting out, he saw a great crowd, but he was moved with pity for them, because they were as sheep without a shepherd. And he started to teach them many things.” No loaves and fishes; teaching.
    The Kingdom will take care of the rest, but only for those who acquire the knowledge to get in it. John 17:3
    Doug

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