Missioner spirit
From today’s Scripture: “‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.’” —Mt 5:1
Today is the feast of St. Philippine Duschene, a French woman who spent 34 years on the American frontier as pioneer and educator. She and four other Sacred Heart sisters took the arduous journey by sea to New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1818. Six months later they headed upriver by steamboat to St. Louis, and were promptly sent by the bishop to the small village of St. Charles, Missouri. Years later she described it as, “the remotest village in the U.S.” She didn’t miss a beat, though, setting up the first Sacred Heart school outside of Europe, which also was the first free school west of the Mississippi River.
There is much more, of course, but you get the idea. She did what she could with what she had, even in most remote places. “There are no difficulties except for those who worry too much about tomorrow,” she said. That’s missioner spirit.
Let us pray: Dear Lord, today give me missioner spirit. Inspire in me the willingness to do the hard things for you.
Today’s author is John Feister, an award-winning journalist and leader of Glenmary’s Communications Team.
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