are you doing your jobs?
"The congregations grew stronger in faith and daily increased in numbers." —Acts 16:5
The Lord insists that we bear abundant, lasting fruit (Jn 15:5, 16). Consequently, it is good to ask ourselves: "How many people have I tried to lead to a total commitment to the Lord through my love, service, witness, words, prayer, and fasting?" Another crucial question we should ask ourselves is: "How many Christians have I tried to lead into leadership in the Church?" For example, when Paul heard of Timothy's faith, he was eager to have Timothy go on mission and begin apprenticeship for leadership in the Church (Acts 16:3).
The Lord holds each of us accountable to be one of His vocation directors, leading Christians of all walks of life into leadership in the Church. However, every vocation director must first be a witness for Jesus (see Acts 1:8) and an evangelizer, for the essence of the Christian life and leadership is evangelistic. Pope Paul VI stated this succinctly: The Church "exists in order to evangelize" (On Evangelization in the Modern World, 14).
Be fruitful. Be an evangelizer. Be a vocation director. Be what the Lord wants you to be.
Prayer: Father, make me see the Christian life the way You want me to see it.
Promise: "I chose you out of the world." —Jn 15:19
Praise: Charles, a young man in his twenties, invites other young people to a deeper walk with the Lord through his leadership in praise and worship.
Reference: (If you may be called to religious community, contact the Brothers and Fathers of Pentecost, 513-665-4333.) (To grow as a disciple and be a strong Christian witness, you may be called to "come away for a little while." Presentation Ministries offers Summer Discipleship Retreats. For information or to register, e-mail retreats@presentationministries.com or call 937-587-5464.)
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Giles H. Pater, October 17, 2002
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, October 21, 2002