St. Paul as the Model And The Example for My Missionary Life
Date
1999-02-12
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Publisher
Tangaza University College
Abstract
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?
Description
Keywords
Missionary, Church