Recently I started to write poems during a workshop on poetry writing in my ministry with asylum seekers in the UK. I thought of sharing some of my poems because they were memorable for me, in that they led me to deeper reflection and to recall important events in my life. It also reminded me to be thankful to God for the great privilege of serving Him in mission and the grace to say "Yes" to His invitation. Hopefully these poems give people a glimpse of what I do in mission trying to be feet and hands of Jesus for others.
Be My Feet
The poem I wrote entitled "My Feet," reminded me to be thankful for the gift of being able to walk again. When I was around seven years old, I woke up one morning and suddenly I could not walk. My feet up to my legs suddenly became painful whenever I tried to make some steps. Every day for several months, my father patiently carried me in his arms to the doctor every morning to have my injection of medicine. My mother prayed so hard and even made novenas to beg to God to make me walk again. God heard our prayer, and He made me walk again.
Thank you God that you made me walk again, and I was able to use it to reach out to others as You asked me and led me to mission following You.
Be My Hands
By writing "My Hands" I remembered one of God's messages to me in my final discernment retreat in Philippines prior to my coming here to the United Kingdom in 2010. The retreat was several days and on that day, I decided to stay and pray in my room. Usually rooms in retreat houses have a plain cross or crucifix (a cross with an image of Jesus nailed to the cross). I found one in my room, a crucifix on the wall. But then, when I looked at it closely, I was surprised to see a broken cross – the image of Jesus on my crucifix had no hands.
Then suddenly I remembered the story about a church with a broken crucifix. People who saw it asked the priest, "Father why doesn't our crucifix have hands?" The priest answered, "because Jesus is asking us to be His hands in reaching out to others." And so in a symbolic way, on that day, I believe Jesus said to me, "Be my hands."
Thank you God for inviting me in mission and the grace to allow You to use my hands in reaching out to others.
Being the Hands and Feet of Jesus in Mission
I must admit that being the hands and feet of Jesus in mission is not always easy. Together with the bed of roses comes the thorns too. Together with the joy of mission comes also the tears. There are victories to celebrate, but there are also challenges to overcome. Looking at the life of Jesus, He undergoes the same thing, even He was not spared. He even suffered worse, so I tell myself I shouldn't complain. You should feel that you are not alone; God is always with you giving you the strength to bear everything and helping you to overcome every trial that comes your way. There is joy in knowing that you are doing the will of God.
Being the hands and feet of Jesus will take you on pilgrimages where things are unpredictable with turns and bends like going through a labyrinth – the path just unfolds in your eyes as you go through it, and sometimes it also seems endless. I think that no matter how long and challenging the path might be, if you trust in God and do not give up, and surrender things to Him – even at times when it is not easy and we can't always understand – the time will definitely come when you will reach the center destination where you will meet God at the core of your being, enjoying His peace that comes in trusting in His unconditional love and developing a deeper relationship with Him.
As Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." (Jn 14:27)
Read Ger Sampson's poems:
My Feet - Click here
My Hands - Click here
Columban lay missionary Ger Sampson from the Philippines is currently working in the UK.
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