by Fr. Justin Fulton
I turned 40 earlier this year. I must admit I enjoy growing older. But at the same time, I’m not sure if my lipids and my body enjoy growing older. I’ve found it takes a lot more work to keep weight off. One has to be intentional about eating right and exercising. No longer can we focus on “maintenance.” As we get older, we have to focus on “mission” when it comes to being healthy. If we don’t, we gravitate to becoming mediocre.
If we focus on maintenance instead of mission we become mediocre.
We should pray on those words. It’s the same way in the Church. It is the same way in our everyday lives as husbands, fathers, sons, daughters, employees, children of God, etc. As we read in the Acts of the Apostles during this Easter time, we see people “on fire” with the knowledge of Jesus’ love and His Resurrection. The apostles tell people about Jesus. They get out of their homes and into different communities. They are constantly moving. They go from town to town. They are intentional. They are missionary. They aren’t looking to “maintain” a Church. They are growing it.
And they are not mediocre, not at all.
We were baptized in the same waters and anointed with the same Holy Spirit as those apostles. Do you see yourself as “in mission” or are you more “in maintenance”? Are you living greatly with the knowledge of Jesus’ love for you? Do you know the Resurrection?
The apostles lived in unity. They shared the Life of Christ in them with others. They cared for one another and they reached out to the poor and vulnerable.
It is wonderful to see clients at Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska go from “maintenance” to “mission.” Many times, a woman will enter the halls of St. Gianna Women’s Homes barely able to maintain herself. With some safety, some guidance, some mentoring, soon these women get confidence and get intentional about getting better. They get inspired by the fact a community loves them.
They set goals and they start to believe in themselves and provide for themselves. They turn away from past abusive relationships. They shun mediocrity and they become role models for the other women and their own children.
They focus on mission instead of maintenance and they lift themselves, with God’s help.
May we all commit to becoming a missionary Church. May we reach out to a culture that needs to know Jesus. Let us become intentional about telling others about His Sacraments in the Catholic Church. In becoming more intentional about being missionary in our communities, the Body of Christ will never be unhealthy or mediocre. The Body of Christ will feed the life of the world.
May God bless us always!
