Is there room in your inn?
My least favorite part of the ejido visits is when we first arrive.
It's door-to-door time! Because the community does not know when the
missionaries are coming, we go around door-to-door inviting people to la
capilla (the chapel) para la oración (for prayer).
It's probably my fear of rejection and maybe my anxiety with not knowing much of the language, but it takes me a few minutes to gear myself up for the task. The longer I wait, greater my reservation gets. Today as we showed up to Porvenir de Jalpa rancho for the mission the hour long bumpy ride left me nauseous so I stayed behind in the car to offer my suffering for the people to come to the chapel. I cannot say honestly that I was disappointed to miss out on inviting door-to-door. In a selfish way I was ok bring uncomfortable by nausea rather than uncomfortable in front of someone's door.
As I watched from my seat in the van I could see the golden silhouettes of a missionary family - dad, mom and two kids - faithfully walking up to the first door. As they walked the Lord opened my eyes to see Joseph and Mary walking into Bethlehem, coming from a distance, knocking on doors asking for a place to stay. Jesus was not afraid of rejection when we came into the world. In so many ways, even from his time in the womb, the world rejected him.
Like Mary bearing the Christ child, us missionaries are knocking on doors asking people if they have room for Jesus. Room for him in their evening, in their lives, but most especially in their hearts!
As Advent starts today it seems fitting that I reflect on how Jesus comes to me in so many different and unexpected ways, like through a Virgin betrothed to a man.
I have always been struck by the passage in the Gospel of Luke that introduces us to Mary.
It starts out as a wide picture slowing narrowing it's focus on one specific person, Mary. (The same passage of scripture starts with Mary, but concludes with the name of Jesus for the first time in Luke's gospel). What an intimate God to be able to see, know and love Mary in such a particular way with such a special mission. Lord, remind me that you are the same God who sees, knows and loves me.
This evening we did a communion service at Porvenir. There were about 15 adults and a few teens and pre-teens. After receiving the Eucharist one of the oldest women knelt down next to me. I was struck in that moment that right before us, offering himself to each of us, God sees, knows and loves HER specially...in North America, in the country of Mexico, close to Saltillo, on the outskirts of General Cepeda, in a small rancho there is an old woman who Jesus has come to be present before, in and through his precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. This is the power of our God; he is mightly, larger than the world itself, yet personal and present to each person!
Jesus help us all to make room for you in our hearts this Advent through every person you send us and in your most precious Body and Blood. May we open up our hearts, our homes and our lives to you who came for the salvation of our souls.
It's probably my fear of rejection and maybe my anxiety with not knowing much of the language, but it takes me a few minutes to gear myself up for the task. The longer I wait, greater my reservation gets. Today as we showed up to Porvenir de Jalpa rancho for the mission the hour long bumpy ride left me nauseous so I stayed behind in the car to offer my suffering for the people to come to the chapel. I cannot say honestly that I was disappointed to miss out on inviting door-to-door. In a selfish way I was ok bring uncomfortable by nausea rather than uncomfortable in front of someone's door.
As I watched from my seat in the van I could see the golden silhouettes of a missionary family - dad, mom and two kids - faithfully walking up to the first door. As they walked the Lord opened my eyes to see Joseph and Mary walking into Bethlehem, coming from a distance, knocking on doors asking for a place to stay. Jesus was not afraid of rejection when we came into the world. In so many ways, even from his time in the womb, the world rejected him.
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| Missionaries walking to the next house inviting people to the chapel |
Like Mary bearing the Christ child, us missionaries are knocking on doors asking people if they have room for Jesus. Room for him in their evening, in their lives, but most especially in their hearts!
As Advent starts today it seems fitting that I reflect on how Jesus comes to me in so many different and unexpected ways, like through a Virgin betrothed to a man.
I have always been struck by the passage in the Gospel of Luke that introduces us to Mary.
"In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
a virgin
betrothed to a man
whose name was Joseph
of the house of David;
and the virgin's name was Mary"
Luke 1: 26-31
It starts out as a wide picture slowing narrowing it's focus on one specific person, Mary. (The same passage of scripture starts with Mary, but concludes with the name of Jesus for the first time in Luke's gospel). What an intimate God to be able to see, know and love Mary in such a particular way with such a special mission. Lord, remind me that you are the same God who sees, knows and loves me.
This evening we did a communion service at Porvenir. There were about 15 adults and a few teens and pre-teens. After receiving the Eucharist one of the oldest women knelt down next to me. I was struck in that moment that right before us, offering himself to each of us, God sees, knows and loves HER specially...in North America, in the country of Mexico, close to Saltillo, on the outskirts of General Cepeda, in a small rancho there is an old woman who Jesus has come to be present before, in and through his precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. This is the power of our God; he is mightly, larger than the world itself, yet personal and present to each person!
Jesus help us all to make room for you in our hearts this Advent through every person you send us and in your most precious Body and Blood. May we open up our hearts, our homes and our lives to you who came for the salvation of our souls.
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