Family Reflection Video: Encounter and Witness

By: Father Pinto Paul, C.S.C. on July 11th, 2017

Family Reflection Video: Encounter and Witness

An encounter with the Lord is a prerequisite to transforming ourselves and becoming a missionary disciple.

"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few!” Once we encounter Jesus we can be his witnesses and invite others to the table of plenty and the joy of the gospel. The stories in today’s gospel are amazing and testify to the power of God working in our struggles. These divine encounters and struggles can forever change us.

With your family, discuss this quote from St. Teresa of Avila, “Now Jesus has no other mouths, eyes, ears, hands, and feet except ours.” What do you think it means? How are you and your family putting this “joy of the gospel” into practice?

As Pope Francis wrote in Evangelii Guadium/The Joy of the Gospel, “The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus … With Christ, joy is constantly born anew!” I am praying for joy for each member of your family today, my friends.

For additional reading: Matthew 9:32-38, The Healing of a Mute Person and The Compassion of Jesus.

About Father Pinto Paul, C.S.C.

Father Pinto Paul C.S.C., ordained a priest in the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1999, worked with tribal populations in northeast India as a missionary for ten years. In 2010 he came to the US for further studies. While working as a campus minister at Stonehill College, he assisted pastors in local parishes, led seminars and workshops for teachers and students in the US and earned a master’s degree in Educational Administration from Boston College and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Lesley University, Cambridge. He is currently working as the International Director of the Boston-based Holy Cross Family Ministries with missions in 18 countries.