Mission Night : Sent

“YOU are SENT!”.

That is the message we have forgotten! said Marres from Latvia- one the 12 Missionaries of KHOM (Kasih Home of Missionaries) of Slovakia. 12 missionaries from Europe visited NBVM for Mission Night on August 4th from 6.30 to 9 pm to share their evangelisation stories. The night began with praise and worship by Shekinah Glory Renewal Group, followed by sharing from Marres and his wife Olga, a skit and fellowship.

Marres added that “many of us go from one retreat to another to experience God but keeping our experiences to ourselves instead of sharing. We have forgotten that we are sent as Jesus was sent!” He reiterated the story of Pentecost- upon receiving the Holy Spirit- the disciples went out to evangelise.  He quoted Jn 20: 21 “Peace be with you! … As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

All disciples are sent to go make disciples of nations. We are sent because the Father loves the world and we are called to be messengers of love. We do not deserve God’s love but God is love and merciful. God is always on a saving mission. The story of the prodigal son is a beautiful story of God’s love.

His wife Olga, shared her story of her call. She was going from one retreat to another and she felt a spark of joy when she decided to join the evangelisation group. She related her experience of how the entire team were allowed to take priority lane like diplomats at the immigration in the Philippines when the airport was so crowded. She quipped that they are “ambassadors of the kingdom of heaven”. At the airport she saw a man walking in pain and she felt the love flow from her heart for this man. She asked him if she could pray for him. She said God plans everything beautifully. Because she was on the priority lane, she was able to notice this man and was later able to evangelise to him.

The missionaries performed a skit depicting how the world blocks our path towards God. But God never gives up. He keeps reaching out to us and always on a saving mission.

Fr. Dom thanked the missionaries for taking time to evangelise when they could be instead be spending their time working to increase their bank balances. He said all of us are called to be missionaries and quoted Luke 10: 1-2 ( After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go). He said “that the church has spent a lot of money on buildings and structures. But now it is time to build the people!” And thus he is making a commitment to setting up the Lay Missionary at the parish. He appointed Valentine to be the head of Lay Missionaries with three other volunteers- Cyril( working adult), Sherona (confirmation student) and Gregory (a college student).

The night ended with the prayer over of the four people in the Lay ministry who felt called to evangelise. Those who attended the session were form four confirmation class, catechism teachers and parishioners.