“That the word of the Lord may spread rapidly …” 2 Thess. 3:1

In this short selection from the Letter to the Thessalonians, Paul reminds us of our essential vocation as Christians, as disciples of Jesus.

First of all, Paul assures us of God’s love for us. That love is expressed in the grace and support we need to continue in good works and, as Paul reminds us, thus sharing the word. As disciples of Jesus, we continue his mission of announcing the Good News and making the Kingdom a reality in our world. This is not just a spiritual concept, or something to be given lip service by Sunday observance.

This call to discipleship is to be lived in every moment of our daily lives. We are to do as Jesus reminds us in the Parable of the Last Judgement: feed the hungry, welcome the homeless, provide for the needs of the poor, comfort those who are mourning, lost or abandoned, reach out to those on the fringes. In the readings today Jesus invites us to open our imaginations to understand life in terms of where we are headed and to dream of all the love we are capable of giving and receiving.

If we let our imaginations run free and are open to the call of the Spirit then any response to the call to discipleship is possible. We are invited to dream – of the unlikely, the improbable, the unbelievable, the unusual. In our daily living, how often are we invited to reflect on the different ways in which we might live out our discipleship? When it does happen, it is usually in terms of what we can do here and now. That is important, as we are called to discipleship in our daily living. But what about service as a lay missionary, a religious, a priest? I believe that God is still calling people to these various ways of living our baptism. Have you ever considered the possibility? Would you be open to the possibility? St. Paul challenges us to consider all the ways in which we might be called to continue in good works and help share the word.

By Richard Beaudette, OMI
Vocation Team
613-806-3435
vicar1@omilacombe.ca