Monday August 24th: The Power of an Invitation

And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”

John 1:45 – 51

Often at retreats, we are asked to remember the people who brought us to Christ or caused us to come closer to him. There are many people both alive and dead whom I need to thank.

Recently as I pondered on that question, I remembered meeting two young women in my early young adult years. They contributed to a growth in my faith that changed my spiritual life forever. I had come from a country village, and these two young women came from an area about which many can easily say, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”

They befriended and invited me to Masses and other activities at their parish church. I admired how they welcomed me and joyfully shared their lives with me and others. As I remember them, I am reminded that to be a true missionary disciple, I must be more intentional in reaching out to others. My prayer is, that like Nathaniel (St. Bartholomew) and these two women, I, too, may bring others closer to Jesus Christ.