Why We Are Called To Do Mission
I never would have imagined myself becoming a missionary. To be honest, I never cared enough to do it. Instead I focused on myself, like doing well in school, playing a lot of soccer, and enjoying my time with friends and having fun. Although I was raised in a Catholic household, religion and faith felt like a nuisance and it was usually the last thing on my mind. I didn’t take my faith seriously because I didn’t see a purpose in it. But after graduating college and working a year as an engineer, I found myself lost and searching for meaning. Have you ever felt a restlessness for something more? I want to share with you some valuable lessons that I learned as an adult and why we are all called to join Jesus’s mission.
1) We are called to something greater than what’s in front of us
My whole life, I had been chasing accomplishments because that’s what society had told me would bring me happiness. But after every accomplishment, I continued to feel unsatisfied and unhappy. I realized that nothing in this world, no material or achievement, would ever feel enough.
The only thing that could quench my thirst was God. That’s when I found my meaning, my purpose, my identity. My identity is a child of God and my purpose is to love and to give. Loving others and giving have brought me the most fulfilment and satisfaction and sharing this discovery is part of my mission.
2) We are called to be free.
Our culture teaches us to use our desires for greatness to be selfish and to get ahead in life regardless of the cost.I had spent my whole life being selfish, only focusing on my own desires, so I struggled to think about others much less give to them unconditionally. I realized in order to become self giving, I had to heal and work on my wounds. My first deep wound was lust, I had become a slave to my sexual desires, so the first thing I did was reclaim my freedom.
Lust created a habit of treating women as objects. Overcoming this vice helped me view not only women, but everyone around me, with dignity and to treat them with love and respect. I learned how to prevent my desires from controlling me and it is my mission to teach others how to grow in this discipline.
3) We are called to make a gift of ourselves.
After reclaiming my freedom, I realized it wasn’t enough to be in control of your desires. I learned that in order to become a gift to others, I had to freely give up my freedom. I learned these things through a previous relationship where we practiced chastity. The virtue of chastity taught me how to die to myself and truly put God and others first.
My mission this year with The Culture Project is to share with others the beauty of selflessness and self giving, and my own experiences battling the vices of our culture.
4) We are called to grow in relationship with God.
I was taught valuable lessons and I wanted to practice what I had learned. I knew if I didn’t dedicate time and make it a priority, I would most likely never do it. There’s always some excuse, whether it’s lack of time or a feeling that you aren’t good enough or ready. But God is ready to take you in with open arms, regardless of your past or where you are in life.
Many times we sin and want to withdraw from the Lord, we think that our sin is too great to overcome. What’s the point of fighting if we are just going to fall again? We think we are unsuitable for a friendship with God so we try to become independent and rely on our own strength. Doing this left me feeling restless, tired, and unhappy. I realized God wants to love us with a love that overwhelms sinfulness with goodness. He wants us to have a relationship with him where we feel confident in his mercy. My vices are and will always be with me. Growing in virtue and overcoming sin will be a lifelong battle and it won’t be something I check off the to-do list. We are called to have a strong and close relationship with God. The Culture Project provides the structure and environment that cultivates a closer relationship with God.
5) We are called to be in a community
Growing up, I disliked reading and writing and preferred math and science. This made me prefer straightforward and direct answers and despise talk of philosophy. But as I got older, I realized the beauty of intellectual and spiritual conversation. The fruit that comes from deeper level conversations. I realized the beauty in being able to be your true self in front of others and share your values and beliefs without being laughed at or judged. To be able to grow in confidence of our identity, in our faith and virtue, to gain new ideas and fresh perspectives, to foster relationships as brothers and sisters in Christ and then share those relationships with others. Community can provide all these things. I realized my desire for this strong connection and that we are called to find a community where we can be authentic and inspire each other to grow in virtue and confidence of our identity. To challenge each other to new heights.
6) You are called upon.
God has a unique plan for all of us and mission looks different for everyone. My story started with a priest approaching me and asking if I have ever thought about giving back to God. Besides wanting to become a priest as a child, the thought of serving had never come back to my mind. So during prayer I asked God, if He wants me to give back, to take everything away that’s holding me back so I had no other option but to say yes. Well, months later, God gave me his answer. He took the things away, showed me our culture and the help it needs, and introduced me to The Culture Project through a friend. I couldn’t ignore this calling and knew I needed to become a missionary for The Culture Project.
I have learned to trust in God and the closer our relationship grew, the more I felt his guidance. Regardless of the plans I have made for my life, I have learned to accept God’s will. Is your heart open to the will of God? In what way is He asking you to give back? It can start small, whether working on yourself and your vices or being there for a friend in need.
