A Missionary In Our Midst

Today was Missionary Sunday at our church. We had a visiting priest from the Divine Word Missionaries.

Divine Word is an international religious community of over 6,100 missionary priests and Brothers who serve in 70 countries.

The man was so young, he looked like he should be an altar boy and not a priest. I'm not used to priests young enough to be my son.

Father Michael was just ordained in the spring, but he did his seminary mission work in Mozambique, Africa. He is about to be sent to a new assignment in foreign missions and will be there for at least three years without coming home. His stories touched all of our hearts.

I have to admit, I had trouble understanding his English. Father Michael is Vietnamese but as a young boy he and his brothers escaped Vietnam and went to the Philippines. From there they made their way California where he received his calling for the priesthood.

Today's gospel reading was from Matthew 16, where Jesus tells his disciples that he is going to have to go to Jerusalem where he will suffer and be killed but that he will be raised on the third day.

Good old Peter tries to come to Christ's rescue and tells him No way Lord, "God forbid anything should happen to you."

I can just picture Peter waiting for that "attaboy" pat on the back from Jesus, but can you imagine how shocked Peter must have been when instead of a pat on the back Jesus scolds him and says "Get behind me Satan."

Next Jesus tells him " You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."

Father Michael told us about meeting with his family for the last time before heading back to his new foreign mission assignment. His brother couldn't understand why Michael would be willing to leave the United States and go live in a country that was much worse than the one they had escaped from. His brother urged him to reconsider. ? Hmmm who does that sound like?

But Father Michael has a heart for Jesus and he knows the things that must be done if he is going to carry out God's will for his life.

I was touched by his love for the people of Mozambique, Africa, and by all of the hardship stories he shared, but what really touched my heart was when he shared his sadness because he wouldn't be able to get back to Vietnam before he left on his mission.
He hasn't seen his parents since escaping, but the Vietnamese government doesn't take too kindly to Catholics and have denied his attempt.

I thought to myself "God why aren't you moving mountains to get this man home? After all he is doing your work!"

It just doesn't seem fair, and yet Jesus promises that whoever loses his life for his sake will find it.

Father Michael is a living example of today's Gospel. This man, young enough to be my son, is someone I want to pattern my life after. I want to love God so much, that I get to that place in my life where I will be willing to forgo my desires for Gods desires. I'm not talking about little desires, but desires we take for granted like safety, and family and comfort.

The great commission is more important to Father Michael than all the comforts we can imagine, because he has found the secret to pure joy. He willing loses his life daily only to find it through the joy he recieves from serving God.

Would you please join me in praying for the safety and health of Father Michael as he travels to his new mission field. Pray that God will do amazing and abundant things through him as he brings Christ to the people he has been called to serve. And pray that one day soon God will make a way for him to be able to see his mom and dad again.