“MISSION AN ACTION OF GOD”

by Milagrosa Villas, FLARE

“What is mission for me?” This a question raised by Fr. Simone Caelli, PIME, during his topic “Mission Spirituality”. That was a question that brought me to silence and prayer during which I was reminded of my mission experience with the Redemptorist Fathers. It happened while I was preparing myself for my final commitment to the group where I belong, the Filipino Lay Redemptorist Team – FLARE. I was assigned as the coordinator of the sub-team. It was my task to coordinate the members of the group and the activities in the area. Our methodology is to integrate and immerse with the people in the area especially the margins. We eat and live with them.

It happened in our area the barrio captain is not a Catholic.  A powerful and killer supported by the mayor and military forces. Three days after my arrival in the area, the barrio captain sent a civilian volunteer to pick me up and brought me before him. The barrio captain warned us: “I will destroy the house of anybody who accepts missionaries. If you insist you can stay in my warehouse or I will let you stay in the chapel. We don’t need missionaries here in our place. I am a god here and no missionary can enter our place.”

The people did not want me to leave their place and they believed in the Church’s teaching in the proclamation of the Gospel truth.

And I do believe that “Mission is an action of God”.  No one can stop the movement of the Holy Spirit. I decided and was firm to continue my task in proclaiming the Gospel and witnessing the truth.

This experience challenged me to be more committed which gave more meaning to my resolution of being called by God as His instrument in following His footsteps.