WHY DONT YOU

1 Peter 1:3-9; Ps111 The Lord will remember his covenant forever; Mark 10:17-27

Today in the life of the church we celebrate the memorial of Katharine Drexel that is Saint Katharine.  A native of Philadelphia, born in to a very affluent family, a world traveler of sorts, St. Katharine, after nursing her stepmother through a three year period of terminal illness began to consider what mattered most in life.

On one of her trips to Italy, having encountered Pope Leo XIII, She asks him to send more missionaries to Wyoming for her fried Bishop O'Connor.  The pope's reply was simple and to the point, "Why don't you become a missionary."

Think about that simple exchange.

How often do we complain about things not getting done?  How often do we push the job off on others and just continue to complain?  When was the last time we did anything about it?

This is exactly what God in the Holy Spirit was doing through Pope Leo XIII for Katharine Drexel.

It was an invitation to do something about it.  IT was invitation not only to recognize the need but to supply what was lacking.

In 1889, Katharine decided to give the remainder of her life to the service of God and his church, forming a order of sisters dedicated to the education of the Native Americans and the African Americans, including having founded XavierUniversity in New Orleans.

She eventually passed from this life at the age of 96, having been born in 1858 she lived almost a century upon her death in 1954. She was canonized in 2000 by Pope John Paul II.

It all started with a compassionate heart to do something and invitation not to pass the buck but rather to take the reigns and make it happen.

These are the kind of people Jesus is in need of today.  We have many who recognize problems and areas that need attention but so few who are actually willingly to do something about it because they lack commitment.

Why Don't you become  a missionary?

Listen again to the words of JEsus in the gospel for today.

"A man ran up, knelt down before Jesus, and asked him, 'Good teacher, what must i do to inherit eternal life?…Jesus looking at him, loved him and said to him, ;you are lacking in one thing.  Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come follow me."

Why Don't You become a Missionary?  What are you still lacking?