Our Mission

We hear this morning the Gospel of "Mission":  Jesus sends the 72 to bring peace, healing and the good news that the kingdom of God is at hand.  These disciples might have been skeptical about their ability to carry out this mission, but when they returned to Jesus, they had the joyful news that even demons obeyed them because of the name of Jesus.
This too is our mission:  we are SENT by Jesus to befriend those who have never heard the "Good News", and to those who might have heard it, but never paid much attention to it or did not fully understand it.  We are not to come on like bulldozers, but gently, peacefully, meeting people where they are, healing their wounds, spiritual or psychological, by our listening, but our acceptance, by our patience.  We remember that it is God's work that we are doing, so we must fall into the pattern he has set for each person and just help things fall into place.  They will.  St. Marcellin said over and over again that to be effective teachers, we must first love the students and love them all equally. This is the key to fulfilling our mission; this is the Marist contribution to the Church; this is presenting the Marian Face of the Church.  May we offer ourselves again today with the 72 to carry out our mission with confidence and joy.
Bro. Rene