# Continuing Jesus' mission through prayer and language
*2020-03-31*

> Bill Young reflects on the call to continue Christ's mission in the world, emphasizing the importance of reaching people in their own native languages through prayer and digital outreach.

## The Call to be Sent

Today is Wednesday of the fifth week of Lent. I want to share a reflection from a booklet called 'Journey of the Heart,' featuring prayers with Father J.M. Newman. The reflection is titled 'Continuing Jesus' Mission,' and it centers on John 17:18: 'As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.'

Father Newman writes that being lifted into the divine life of the Trinity does not mean we are taken out of the world. On the contrary, those who enter the spiritual life are precisely the ones sent into the world to fulfill the work Jesus began. The spiritual life does not remove us from the world but leads us deeper into it. By entering into an obedient relationship with the Father, our lives become a continuation of Jesus' mission.

## Breaking Language Barriers

I have been thinking a lot about how we reach people. I've mentioned to my fellow members of the Legion of Mary that while our goal is to reach the world, the need is great right here locally. For example, many in my wife's family in Homestead, Florida, do not speak English. It is very difficult to pray when the prayers are in a language you don't understand. 

I often ask God for the gift of tongues so everyone could understand me, but I believe God is telling me that we should use the people who already have those gifts. In our own Legion of Mary group, we have people who speak Spanish, French, Creole, and Filipino. This is why this podcast is so important; we are trying to reach everyone. I remember a woman I met at a movie theater who told me we need more prayers and talks in Spanish. If people don't understand the language, they cannot be reached by the message.

## A Mission for Every Language

I think of St. Maximilian Kolbe, who distributed 100,000 pamphlets a month before World War II. He traveled to Asia and Japan, not to do the work alone, but to empower others to do it too. That is my philosophy. We need people to record prayers in Spanish, French, Creole, Filipino, and every other language. 

In 2020, this is more important than ever. We are being called away from the Church and from Communion, making it even tougher to bring people back. I am not doing this for my own glory, but because it is what our Lord commands. I am just a sinner who said 'yes' to this podcast, even though I didn't like the sound of my own voice for years. But God has a purpose for all of us.

## Prayer in a Time of Isolation

Right now, we are told to stay at home. In the state of Florida, everyone is staying in place. But what can we do? We can pray. I encourage anyone who is bilingual to record the Divine Mercy Chaplet, Novena, or Litany in your own language. It is easy to set up a podcast using free services like Anchor, which distributes to Apple and other platforms. 

My only goal is continuing Jesus' mission. The need is greater now than at any other time in human history. While we cannot physically go to someone's house, we can send prayers via Facebook and Twitter. We can use the internet to ensure the mission grows.

## Divine Mercy Devotions

We conclude today with the three o'clock hour devotions. We pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, focusing on the atonement for our sins and those of the whole world. We also reflect on the seventh day of the Novena, which asks Jesus to bring the souls who especially venerate and glorify His mercy into His compassionate heart. These souls, who are living images of His compassion, will shine with special brightness in the next life.

Finally, we pray the Litany of Divine Mercy, acknowledging that His mercy is the greatest attribute of God, an inconceivable mystery, and the only hope for despairing souls.

*Our calling is to continue Jesus' mission by meeting people where they are, using every language and tool available to share His mercy.*