Here and Now with Francis 5/11/16 (mission, vocation, Holy Spirit, Christianity, martyrdom, missionary)

By Anonymous

I would like to say to the young men and women of nowadays who don't feel at ease – (who say) ‘But I’m not that happy with this consumerist and narcissistic culture….’ ‘But look at the horizon! Look who’s there, look at our missionaries!’ Pray to the Holy Spirit who compels them to go far away, to consume or burn up their lives.

 From the homily
He noted that Paul acknowledges the absolute mastery of the Spirit over his life who has always pushed him to announce the gospel despite the problems and difficulties. I believe, the Pope said, this excerpt evokes for us the life of missionaries throughout the ages. 
“They went forward compelled by the Holy Spirit: a vocation!  And when we went to the cemeteries in those places, we see their tombs: so many of them died at an early age before they reached 40.  The reason is because they were not used to and couldn’t recover from the diseases present in those places. They gave up their young lives: they had consumed their lives.  I’m thinking of them in their last moment on earth, far from their homeland, their families and their loved ones, who said: ‘What I did was worth it!’” “Our missionaries, these evangelisation heroes of our times…..   Europe who filled up other continents with missionaries…. And these people went there without ever returning home….  I think it is only right that we give thanks to the Lord for their testimony. It’s right that we rejoice for having these missionaries who are true witnesses.  I’m wondering what the final moment on earth was like for these people: how did they bid farewell?  Like Xavier: ‘I left everything but it was worth it!’ They passed away, nameless. They were martyrs who offered up their lives for the Gospel. These missionaries are our glory! The glory of our Church!” [link]

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