By  Kerry McGuire

 

 

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them
n the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” ~ Matthew 28:19

 

I looked at my computer screen to see who from our parish women’s retreat team was on the Zoom call. Smack dab in the middle of the pandemic; we were finally growing accustomed to ministering together this way.

I noticed Annette, a spiritual mother to me well into her late 70s, standing out among the stacks of Brady Bunch-looking boxes on my screen.

Wow, what a gorgeous purple sweater! I thought to myself. She looks completely stunning! I should remember to tell her later.

Remembering the Purple Sweater Moment

I was reminded of Annette when a priest on a podcast I was listening to asked, “who in your life has discipled you?”

Using “disciple” as a verb struck me. Jesus discipled his disciples, who, in turn, discipled others that came across their paths. 

As we observe the Ascension of the Lord today, Jesus’ last words in the Gospel of Matthew took the idea of discipling to a whole new level—apostleship! 

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 28:19)

This Great Commissioning of Christ’s Church is where his apostles are sent out to share the Gospel in a world that so desperately needs his mercy, forgiveness, and compassion. Again, Annette!

A.K.A. “You & Me”

Each day, people are put into our paths that may need a kind word or deed to be reminded of the goodness in the world. To you and me, this goodness has a name—Jesus!

It could be a friendly smile to a passerby on a morning walk or visiting the homebound who are lonely, or giving a genuine compliment when it’s least expected.

This was my opportunity to compliment Annette and share how special she truly is. My e-mail to her, sent out of the blue, went something like this:

“Hello, dearest Annette. The Holy Spirit put you on my heart. On a recent Zoom call, you caught my attention with that beautiful purple sweater—you looked STUNNING! I am so glad God put you in my path and thank you for being such a role model and loving Sister in Christ to me throughout the years. Blessings, Kerry”

 

Prayer

Dear Jesus, the ruler of our hearts, please ignite the fire of your love inside us today through the Holy Spirit. May we become faithful disciples that bring your love to others and apostles that joyfully and confidently share the Good News to build up the Kingdom of Love.

Call to Action

 What is the Lord commissioning you to say or do today? What simple moment of kindness can you bring to another without expecting anything in return?

 

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