Mental Prayer for February 27, Missionary Vocation

Mental Prayer Meditation Helps

Presence of God

Grace I Ask: Lord, help me to see the necessity and greatness of a missionary.

Mental Picture: A sunny morning on a mountain­top in Galilee... I join the eleven Apostles. They are questioning Christ: "Lord, should we bother about the pagans? How many men should we make your disciples? Should we travel very far to preach and baptize?" A silence, then Christ speaks: "Go into the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature. Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." His eye spans the horizon... millions of immortal souls... down the centuries He sees sacrificing missionaries _yet they are too few for the vast work... they bring salvation to people who otherwise would not know Christ... but what a great field is still white for the narvest.

My Personal Application: Christ's vision saw missionaries bringing His Gospel to the American continent centuries ago. Have I ever realized what blessings we possess today because those priests and sisters left their homes to spread the true faith? Can I think of the 700 millions of infidels in China and India alone today without longing to have them hear about Christ? Is it possible Christ sees a distant pagan land with me as the missionary of their salvation? Could it be that natives of far distant lands will never feel the waters of Baptism because I never came to them?

I Speak to God: I am a Catholic today because of your missionaries long ago. Maybe you want me to carry your Gospel to Godless peoples someday. It would be a great sacrifice, but for the greatest cause on earth. Show me your will. Make me brave enough to forget myself and to love souls as you do. Show me where I can help.

Thought for Today: "Go, therefore, and teach all nations."
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Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)