From today’s Scripture: “Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick–no food, no sack, no money in their belts.”—Mk 6:7-8

When Father Don’s assistant, Rachel, met me at a Panera for breakfast so I could turn over the first quilt I made for the Glenmary Country Raffle, she let me in on two secrets: she was expecting her first baby and that Father Don would be returning to mission work. When he landed in Tennessee, another Glenmary Brother joined him to fix things in his new home. I sent him some house supplies he might need and a custom quilt for his bed. But after that, Father Don was on his own to bring Catholicism to Smith County.

Five years later, St. Peter the Apostle has its own home and a growing community. I can barely imagine the task missioners have of cutting through the preconceived notions about Catholicism and showing—through cooperation and positive action—that we are followers of Christ. We are blessed to have other priests, ministers, and communities to support our faith, because we too are called to be missionaries where we live and work. Jesus warned that there would be places where the people would not welcome us or listen to us. It might just be a little more difficult for us to “leave and shake the dust off our feet in testimony against them.”

Let us pray: Sweet Jesus, I thank you for the gift of my faith and for those you have ordained to minister to my spiritual needs.

Today’s author is Dr. Denise Collado, who is a multilingual caseworker for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Sarasota, Florida, and former world languages teacher for 44 years. Since 2017, Denise has made quilts for Glenmary’s annual fundraiser and for special missioner friends.

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