St. Matthew Catholic Church

Weekly Message     

Chosen and Sent to Care

Dear brothers and sisters,   

  God chose people of Israel and entered into a covenant with them: "You shall be my special possession, ...so that through you all nations may come to know the living God.” His chosen people are to mediate God's presence to the world. 
     Jesus’ heart was moved in compassion and called the Twelve Apostles, and sent them out to the people “troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd" to care, to heal the sick, to cleanse lepers, and to proclaim the Kingdom of God. 
    Jesus did not wait for his Apostles to become perfectly fit and worthy. He empowered them to love, forgive, and reconcile. He saw them, sanctified them and sent them to His people; I will be with you always [Mt. 28:20]; and the Spirit will teach about everything I told you [Jn. 14:26].
      Like Israel and the Apostles, we are chosen. We have become God's chosen and special people [1 Pet. 2:9]; not because we are perfect. We are ordinary men/women with weaknesses and fears. Yet Jesus entrusts you and me with His mission – to be His presence among our families, neighbors, workplaces, and communities to care.
      Think of a mail carrier: he/she does not create the message; he faithfully delivers it. Likewise, Christians are called to deliver God's message of love, mercy, truth, and hope without changing it with compassion. We are not the source of the Gospel; we are its messengers.
       Someone said, “Though our task is not to bring all the world to Christ, our task is unquestionably to bring Christ to the world.” I would say, “bring Christ to YOUR world”- your family, your coworkers and your friends. We are in the world with the THAT mission or purpose!

 Blessings!

Msgr. Xavier Pappu
                     Insert:  Giving to God/Dar a Dios.pdf

                                    Please pray for vocations to the priesthood,
                              for the Priests of our Diocese; & for our Bishop.

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