
Pastoral Message – July 14, 2024
n today’s Gospel passage we are reminded of Jesus sending out his disciples on mission. This passage resonated deeply with me in light of our recent mission trips to Mexico & Poland. Our journey to serve those in need and share the love of Christ mirrored the disciples’ call.
Organizing these Mission Trips was a challenge. We had to deal with a lot of roadblocks (figuratively and literally the case in Poland when farmers went on strike and blocked all the roads). We had to deal with rejection (when we were temporarily denied access to the penitentiary in Ensenada because of our affiliation to the Catholic Church). And we had to deal with resistance (from people here and abroad who didn’t quite approve of or understand why a random, rag-tag group of Catholics from Huntington Beach wanted to serve in intergenerational, relational ministry with people who were not local to them or even from the same denomination of Christianity as we were).
The Gospel today acknowledges the challenges that come with going on a mission. Jesus warns his disciples of the potential rejection and resistance they may encounter. They are instructed to rely on God’s provision and to travel light for the journey. Our mission trips likewise brought us face-to-face with challenges, but like the disciples, we tried to rely on our faith in God’s providence, trusting that He was working in the midst of any and all obstacles.
Jesus commissions his disciples, sending them out in pairs. This underscores the importance of community in mission—how we are called not to undertake this journey alone, but together as a parish family united in faith and service. Similarly, our mission trips this year were a testament to the power of community, as we came together, pooling our God given talents and resources to make these trips possible. From the people who offered up a week of their time to serve, to all those who contributed financially and prayerfully. You all made a meaningful impact in the lives of others.
In Mexico and Poland, we experienced firsthand the joy of serving others. Whether it was distributing food and supplies, or simply spending time with the homeless or incarcerated, each act of service was an opportunity to embody Christ’s love. We were reminded that discipleship often means stepping out of our comfort zones, embracing the unfamiliar, and extending compassion to those who we might normally avoid or resist.
Our experience of leaving our comfort zone deepened our understanding of solidarity and compassion. We encountered stories of resilience and hope in the face of adversity—stories that challenged us to confront our own opinions and perspectives of other people and parts of the world. We were humbled by the hospitality and generosity of the communities we served, learning valuable lessons about unity, peace, and the universal call to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Reflecting on our team’s experiences, we are called to consider how we can continue to live out our mission as disciples of Christ. Our journey does not end with the mission trip but extends into our daily lives and interactions. That is the message that our partners from Praying Pelican Missions and those that we served asked us to bring back to America – “tell stories” and “let what impacted you on the trip impact your community at home”. I am not ashamed to admit Mission Trips do indeed serve those in need, but also serve our parish community of Saints Simon & Jude in return.
I hope that those who went on our Mission Trips continue to reflect upon, “How can I continue to support those in need, both locally and globally?” And I hope those that read or hear about our Mission Trip experiences can also reflect upon, “How can we spread the love and message of Jesus to those around us? And where am I being called to serve even if it makes me uncomfortable?” These questions challenge us to embody the message of today’s Gospel – go out, be in community, pack light, get your feet dirty.
I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you once again for your prayers, participation, and incredible generosity that helps us answer this call to serve. While these trips are intergenerational, as the “youth guy” at our parish, it would be remiss of me to not acknowledge the profound impact these trips have on the young people of our parish. Thank you for providing them with the spiritual and financial support that they needed for the journey. God bless you all.
Andrew Watson