Costly way of following Jesus

What has believing in God cost you? It is a question that has been bugging me the last few days... but not for the reasons you would think. Like Mary (Luke 12:1-11) throughout all of my adult life I have offered myself in service to God and the Church. I have literally served from Sea to Sea to shining Sea. This time of year seems to make me stop and consider what has been offered to God in the past year; what has been given and offered, and what has been sacrificed for the cause of the kingdom. There are things that bring me joy, to see how there has been growth, and maturing in the faith and in the priestly life. Reflection also helps me to see the challenges and sorrows that have had to be met and the things that still have to be overcome.

In particular, I like to consider the “great” moments of ministry when people’s lives changed and they were different, transformed by what they saw and heard. For example, I remember ministering to a man on the South Coast of Labrador. He was sick and dying of cancer. The time with him was significant because in getting to know him, I discovered that he had been baptised and confirmed but he had never participated in the Eucharist. The Bishop came in and confirmed one Sunday and he was to have his first communion when the priest came to the community the next Sunday. Unfortunately for this gentleman, he had to go out in the boat in the week in between services. As a consequence, he was not in the community but out on the boat when the priest arrives from somewhere else and did not have his communion. He lived a good life, doing all the things a Christian ought to do, care for his family and his community. He lived his entire life thinking that he couldn’t have that part of the experience. I was glad to be able to share that first communion moment with him and other such moments as we prayed and he battled the cancer. That short time was a time of transformation and that man grew stronger in his faith and in the relationships he had with family and members of the community until the day he died.

And while some in the community saw his death as a failure of his health, his doctor and his faith, I can tell you he went to be with the Master confident in his faith and had his hopes fulfilled.

And what did such ministry really cost me? Some time, some prayer, and a listening ear which in turn meant so much to both the man and to his wife and family. Thus I think it is important to remember that we are not called to be great servants with super powers and great faith. The Master calls us to be humble, thoughtful servants who live everyday lives within an uncommon vigor and an extraordinary love. God calls us to serve and to bring whatever it is we have been given in terms of time, talents, treasure, tears and trees and use it to help those who are in need of seeing and know God to be able to do so.

And since when has loving somebody, even when they do not deserve it, ever been sensible? After all didn’t the Master say, “Father, forgive. They know not what they do.”