A Challenge To Be Initiators

Last Sunday we were very excited to hold the very 1st Holy Mass in our residence community. We didn't know how many would attend since the Mass' schedule was given in short notice. But to our surprise there were about 120 people who came. The hall was packed. My wife, Michelle, was one of the main organizers and I was part of the choir. I remember my wife talking to our priest months ago of the possibilities of having a mass in our area. She initiated it and soon things snowballed and resulted to the 1st Mass in our place. Every Sunday hereon, there will be mass for all our neighbors to attend and recieve God's graces.

Our challenge as Christians is to be initiators. During the time of Paul and Barnabas, the Good News was only spread to the Jews. But a group of believers initiated evangelization to the Gentiles. But other believers, who were from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and proclaimed the message to Gentiles also, telling them the Good News about the Lord Jesus (Acts 11:20). This eventually led Barnabas to go to Antioch, then later Barnabas sought Paul and brought him there too. This led to the first official Christian community. It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians (Acts 11:26) .

How are we to respond to Christ's call to initiate in spreading the Good News? Therefore go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19).

First, we are prompted by the Holy Spirit. There will be a strong sense inside us that urges us for the task. There is an internal pressure in our hearts that tells us to do what God prompts us. We pray about this and be led by His Spirit. My wife had a strong sense from the Spirit that gave her boldness and confidence to talk to the priest.

Second, we are not to stifle the Spirit by minding our lack of ability. Instead we are to submit to God inspite of our inadequacy. It is the Spirit that will move. We have to be vessels of His words. For the words you will speak willnot be yours; they come from the Spirit of your Father speaking through you (Matthew 10:20). I felt that I lacked the ability to start a choir, since I could only play the guitar and didn't have the experience of organizing singers. But a day before, the neighboring residence community's guitarists and singers agreed to my wife's invitation of singing and playing for us. Praise God. Now I'm trying to learn from them. We didn't say that we'd cancel Mass because we lacked the skills and talents. Indeed, if it is God's will, and we are available vessels, He will use us.

Third, we will do our best but it will be God who will make the work grow. The one who plants and the one who waters really do not matter. It is God who matters, because he makes the plant grow (1 Corinthians 3:7). What we can only do is to initiate and try our best to sustain it, but it is God who will stir the hearts of people. It is Him who will heal them. It is Christ who will be their salvation.

Is there something you ought to do for the Lord? What is hindering you to make the initiative to do His prompting? What steps will you make to make "Him" happen?