Kate on her first mission trip in New Mexico.
When was the last time you went on a mission? Maybe it was making a team, landing a position you really wanted, or earning the grade you knew you were capable of in a challenging class. You probably spent a lot of time thinking about what it would take to get there. And when obstacles came up, they didn’t feel overwhelming, because you had already set your mind on the goal.
This year, I invite you to be part of a different kind of mission, one that isn’t focused on personal achievement. It’s a mission with global impact, one that, as a disciple of Christ, calls you to live your faith in a way that sets you apart and responds to the call to holiness.
My first real “yes” to a mission happened in college. I joined friends from my Newman Catholic Center at Montclair State University for Missions Fiesta, a job-fair-like event for mission trips. Two of us were interested in New Mexico, but I had hoped for an international trip. We gathered our information and went our separate ways.
About a month later, we found out the three of us were heading to Grants, New Mexico, during spring break. That March, we worked alongside people from across the country, and even internationally, to help repair a school in the desert. Was that where most college students want to spend spring break? Probably not. But we said “yes,” and we knew exactly why.
The Lord calls each of us personally to respond to His mission. Here at Christ the King, we have an opportunity to do just that through a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. This is a chance to step outside your comfort zone, serve people in real need, and experience a community and culture different from your own.
St. Teresa of Avila once said, “Christ has no body now but yours: no hands, no feet on earth, but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks with compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good.” I invite you to learn more about our June mission trip to the Dominican Republic, where we will serve a Mustard Seed Community. Join us for an information session on Sunday, February 15, at 6:30 PM in Morgan Hall. To learn more about the Mustard Seed Community, visit mustardseed.com.
Kate Braunstein is the Coordinator of Evangelization and she is a member of the CTK Ringers ministry.