Jesus Gives Courage: Be Not Afraid!

By Luis

This week I had the blessing of coming back to General Cepeda, Mexico. This place brings me make to my first year of missions. There is something special about this place. During my first year I was really exited to serve here. I wanted to share the good news with everyone I saw. I also really like the door ministry (through door ministry we serve the poor with their physical needs).

One day when we were answering the door this woman showed up. Her name is Goya. She came to ask for help for her mother. Her mom is 90 years old. Goya was kind of shy at first (I would be too if I was asking for help), but she would eventually open up because her mother needed her and she was the only one taking care of her.  She came and talked to us about how she was the only one of eight children that was helping to take care of her old mother. She said that because she had to take care of her, she was not able to work. She would come and ask us for food and gas and other basic necessities.

After she came to the house a few times we decided to start visiting her and her mother. We would go to her house pray with her and share scripture with her. Often when we prayed or read the Bible she said that she liked it, but she felt like she didn’t know enough to respond. She said that she was afraid to speak because she did not know much about the Bible or our Faith. So my mission partner Sidney and I started taking her to Mass on Sundays with her mom.

The problem was that she was not consistent. Some Sundays she would come and others she would not because of whatever random reason. However we did still visit her every week. We would pray and read Scripture to her. When it was time for me and Sidney to go back we of course visited her to say goodbye. I remember seeing a change in her. She was less negative and maybe a little more open to share with us when we prayed with her.

This past week I had the opportunity to play guitar for one of the prayer groups that our Mexican missionaries, Raul and Marta Soto lead. I was surprised to see Goya there. She was different. It was definitely not her first time in that prayer group. I was shocked to see her sharing about the Scriptures in front of at least 20 people, and being in a leadership position in this prayer group. It was a blessing to see how much Jesus changed her. She was bold and she was unafraid.

Jesus tells us to not be afraid to share the good news soon after his resurrection. “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” Matthew 28:8-15.  Sure enough that was the Gospel of the day for today. God is good. Her changed its also a witness of Jesus’s work in us. I was called on by her witness to always be BOLD. No matter where I am and what kind of environment I’m in. I’m always called to evangelize no matter how hostile it can be. I pray that Jesus will give us all her boldness and courage that we might be transformed by our Lord.