At the end of the Gospels we hear Jesus sending the apostles to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Mt 28:19)
The Acts of the apostles relate to us how the Apostles and the first Christians faithfully fulfilled their mission. They went out into the known world to announce the Gospel. The disciples’ response to the Lord’s command changed the world forever.
During Lent, it is part of our Catholic tradition to give up something as a sacrifice. No doubt that it is a wonderful tradition. But we know that Lent is much more than that. Lent is a time of renewal of our Catholic identity. In other words, it is a time to respond anew, from our faith, to the question of “who we are.”
Jesus’ command to “go and make disciples of all nations,” is not an abstract request that He addressed only to the apostles or to the men and women of his time; it is a call to each Christian not only as a duty but as a right, when they receive baptism. It is a call to all of us for our personal salvation and that we may share the good news of salvation with the world.
Rev. Michael Fugee, Director
fugeemic@rcan.org
- Catholic Volunteer Network 800-543-5046 http://www.catholicvolunteernetwork.org
- Claretian Volunteers and Lay Missionaries 800-328-6515 http://www.claretians.org
- Columban Fathers Lay Missionary Program 402-291-1920 http://vocation.columban.org
- Family Missions Company 337-893-6111 http://www.familymissionscompany.org
- Franciscan Mission Service 202-832-1762 http://www.franciscanmissionservice.org
- Heart's Home USA 718-522-2922 http://usa.heartshome.org/
- Jesuit Volunteer Corps 313-345-3480 http://www.jesuitvolunteers.org/
- Maryknoll 1-800-818-5276 http://www.maryknoll.com
- Society of African Missions 301-891-2037 http://www.smafathers.org
- The Vincent Pallotti Center 1-877-VOL-LINK http://www.pallotticenter.org
(a directory of 120 full-time faith based volunteer programs based in the United States
and overseas)
