No Man Left Behind

A Reflection on the Second Reading for October 18th, 2020:
Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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1 Thessalonians
1.1-5

From Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the Church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, because our message of the Gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.

Pause. Pray.

And then read more...

“You become responsible forever, for what you have tamed.” 

This reading reminded me of this famous line from an old classic piece, The Little Prince. Many writers and even psychologists have written about their take on this line from this famous book. Simply said, it means we take care of those who we have convinced, evangelized, and taught, much in the same way that good teachers care for and are concerned for the students whose young minds they are forming.

In a workplace setting, when we train someone who is new to the job, don’t we check on them to make sure that they’ve understood the procedures? Don’t we ask how they are doing and how we can help them further until they can stand on their own? 

This is the same with Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy. They spent some time preaching to the Thessalonians and converting them. Then the three had to leave and they worried about the people they left behind. Paul sent Timothy back to see how they were. This letter was written to appreciate and encourage the Thessalonians to continue with what they were doing and to affirm them, reminding them that they were chosen by God through the Holy Spirit. Through the epistles of Paul to the various early Christian communities that they formed, Paul and his men took care of those whom they had converted.

I now realize that I too must do this with the people I invite — to attend the Alpha course, for example. I should check on them to see how they are doing and to answer questions that they may not feel comfortable enough yet to ask others about.

In the same manner, as a leader of a small group in our parish, I should also be aware and be understanding of our group members; open to their questions and suggestions. Only by understanding them can I help bring meaning into their attendance at our group meetings. By doing so I can help bring them closer to Christ by helping them nurture that newfound relationship with Him.

Our parish leaders and pastor at my church, Saint Benedict Parish, also have this in mind as they have shown from all the efforts they have made to bring Christ to us, especially during the pandemic: the online masses, the online adoration, praise and worship, and even injecting a bit of humour during the Digital Foyer after the mass. In this way, I feel so loved and cared for. I pray that we can pass on what they do for us to those who we care for. Amen.


"“If you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world… ”  said the fox." 
- The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry




Liz Venezuela

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