On Sunday, at our Fraternity meeting, we saw a short video about Medjogorie. I'm sorry if I haven't spelled it correctly but it's pretty new to me. I didn't know how big it is, or how long the visions have been occuring, or how the area has suffered through the wars and the visionaries and their priests and people have suffered. I didn't know that the whole town is Catholic and I didn't know that the shrine is under Franciscan stewardship. It's about Mary and about her message of God's love for all people, and that's the message Francis taught and we who would walk in his footsteps have the same vocation.
     But I also read this weekend that we are to find the way that is ours to accomplish this mission. Some teach, some proclaim the gospel, some serve, some create, some discover, some plant, some harvest. Some raise families. Some raise nations or raise the conscience of nations. Everyone is given the same message and the same job to bring it to all nations. We don't have to do big things. Sometimes small things have big results and maybe the best result is the change of a single heart.
     I have no great thoughts tonight, only the quiet hope and longing to be of service. My job as a Franciscan is to find out who I am and what I can do in this time of waiting for Christ's return. We are to wait like a bridesmaid with her lamp prepared, ready to run outside at His call. That's the nature of every Christian life. Preparation for what is certain. He will come, soon and very soon. And when he does we will all go out to meet him.