Why We Do What We Do

“God has created me to do Him some special service. I may never know
it in this life, but I shall be told in the next…I have a part in a great work…” 
-(John Henry Cardinal Newman)

Each of us is called in different ways- some of us to married life, some to celibate life, some to religious life, some as artists, musicians, engineers, farmers, caregivers, etc. and yet, we are all called to be missionaries- to share our faith and our relationship with Jesus Christ with others. Oftentimes our view of “mission” is very narrow- we think of it as physically and geographically going out into the world.
          How then can we be missionaries and not be called to travel?
St. Thérèse of Lisieux answers this for us. She had a strong missionary spirit and yet was a cloistered nun. She fulfilled both of these callings by responding with insight and love. She couldn’t leave her convent but she was very present to the missionaries of her time through countless letters and prayers of support and encouragement. Although she never “stepped foot” on foreign soil, her presence was felt, even after her death. Holy Mother Church, even after her canonization, recognized her as a doctor of the Church and the Patroness of Missionaries. We who have been called to the St. Bartimaeus Society may never “step foot” in Nigeria, yet our Missionary Spirit can propel us to give our prayers and our resources to help others an ocean away. Our willingness to participate in this missionary effort draws us closer, through love, to other children of God, uniting us in Christ.
May St. Thérèse continue to intercede for us in our support of Fr. Martin, all the priests and sisters and lay people who are called to serve the people of Nigeria.

Amen.

    -Dr. Mary Soha