Or in other words, why does this blog exist?
A Little Bit About Me
I've been in love with Jesus since I was a baby. I was born into a very loving, Catholic family and thanks to my parents, I got a Catholic education and four Sacraments under my belt. But even more than that, my parents taught me how to have a relationship with Jesus. In fact, I began prayer journaling from the time I could hold a pencil (a true blogger in the making). At my Confirmation, I decided to make it official. Even though I was young (thirteen going on twenty-five), I really felt the gravity of my decision and commitment. I put Christ at the centre of my life because I wanted a relationship with Him - a relationship that has brought me so much joy, healing, and peace.
I never fell away from the church. Most of my friends from high school and university did, and for a long time I was proud of myself for never leaving, even though the statistics show that it's "normal" for teens and twenty-somethings to leave the Church. But please, hold your applause. Up until this point, I was growing in holiness, but I had no idea what it meant to have a missionary heart. However, it was through meeting an organization called Catholic Christian Outreach, or CCO, in my first year of university that I learned I had it all wrong.
The Lost Sheep
In Luke 15, Jesus tells the Parable of the Lost Sheep. He says,
“Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”
Did I see my friends who had fallen away from the Church as the lost sheep? Did I see how desperately the Father's heart longed for them to come home? Did I do everything I could to seek them out and tell them about how beautiful a relationship with my Jesus really is?
Sadly, no.
Holiness & Mission
CCO helped me to discover that holiness and mission are two sides of the same coin. Before, I didn't understand the mission of the Church - the mission that Christ Himself gave us at His Ascension - and so my personal holiness was actually stunted unbeknownst to my prideful self. Instead of only focusing on how I could grow closer to Jesus, my gaze shifted to all of the people around me who did not know how much they were loved by Him; all the lost sheep. Instead of being proud of myself for staying in the church, my heart broke – with the Father’s – for all those who wandered away.
A Missionary Heart
I haven't yet answered the question, "What is a missionary heart?" Partly, its because my own missionary heart is still growing, maturing, breaking, and healing. I haven't got the whole thing figured out, but that is why this blog has been born. A few months ago, I began working as a full time Campus Missionary with CCO - and my missionary heart is already experiencing new things. I hope to write about the movements of my missionary heart so that you, the very dedicated reader who reached the end of this post, can journey with me.
In a few weeks, I'll be moving to Halifax, Nova Scotia from Vancouver, British Columbia but spiritually, I know I will be moving much further. Pray for me, will ya?
This blog is not affiliated with or sponsored by Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO). Rather, it is simply inspired by their missionary work.
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