Browsing by Author "Grych, Andrzej"

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    St. Paul as the Model And The Example for My Missionary Life
    (Tangaza University College, 1999-02-12) Grych, Andrzej
    St. Paul is the most famous missionary in the early Church. It was his dedication to the mission to the Gentiles which brought Christianity from the Jewish to the Greek world. In his zeal and dedication to the mission he wished to go to the ends of the world to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. However, he never came to Africa. It is now, almost nineteen centuries later, that I am getting ready for the mission on this continent. Thus, I would like to see St. Paul as the missionary who can be the model and the example for my missionary work as a member of the Society of African Missions (SMA) here in Africa. From the very beginning of his mission St. Paul was very conscious of his vocation as a missionary (the Apostle to the nations). It was something that sustained him in his work. His strong missionary vocation and total dedication to what he was doing challenges my attitudes as a young person. The sense of urgency, which can be seen in his mission, inspires me to reflect upon my own convictions and ideas. What was it at the core of the mission that pushed St. Paul ahead? Where did he find the strength and power to move on? Can I be like him? His mission was mostly connected with building and forming local communities. It had a deep impact on his life and he himself was changed by what he was doing. He was ever open to the local needs and as he moved from place to place he was leaving behind different active Christian communities. That is something that makes me "jealous"! How did he do it? Was he not afraid that the work he did would be wasted and the community would die? How did he form the communities so that after his departure they would grow and spread? Is there something I could learn from St. Paul about mission for my future?