Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Midland shared a note from the pastor on World Mission Sunday. 

Rev. Joe Griffin wrote that we are called to a challenging life as Christ’s followers. 

“It seems to be an aspect of His ongoing proclamation that the ‘kingdom of God is at hand,’ that a ‘New Creation’ is not only possible, but also preferable and already underway,” Rev. Griffin wrote in the bulletin. “Many of us, myself included, have fared very well as ‘business as usual’ has been pursued. But even so, we cannot deny that many others have been left behind, ignored or exploited in our current culture and ways of living.” 

Jesus spent a lot of time with these individuals who are overlooked and challenged those who are thought to be more blessed or privileged. Indeed, in his time on earth, he was shaking up the idea of normal life. 

Rev. Griffin wrote that Joe Frankenfield shared interesting insights on the very topic: “Few of us can say that we consistently accept and live by Jesus’ vision of the Kingdom,” Frankenfield’s article states. “As wonderful as his promised destination is, the journey is demanding. Jesus knew this.”

While the challenges of following Christ are massive, we can take comfort in the promise that our reward will be great in heaven. 

“Jesus teaches that God’s promise needs our acceptance and cooperation. The promise is wonderful even as non-acceptance and non-cooperation create terrible situations for everyone and suffering for all,” Frankenfield wrote. “Yet Jesus also presented mercy and forgiveness as essential to the God-human relationship. God remains faithful to us regardless of our straying from the path to his promised Future.” 

We need only look briefly at the scriptures to see that Jesus both calls us to be thinking about the future but to also be deeply rooted in the present and the good works we can do for his kingdom while on earth.