Author: Meagan Webb

To Be or Not To Be a Creative Missionary

To be a missionary is the call of all of us. According to Marriam-Webster’s dictionary a missionary is someone who propagates a religious faith or carries on humanitarian works. Propagate meaning to foster growing knowledge, familiarity or acceptance.

Now all Christians through their Baptism, in the name of the Holy Trinity, are not only saved, but entrusted with the task – the mission – of baring witness to Christ to others. As Catholics we further commit to living this out in the Sacrament of Confirmation. So all Catholics are called to be missionaries. We are even reminded every time we attend mass. At the end after the final blessing the priest says, go forth and spread the God News.

Now the Catholic Church at the heart of it all is missionary. The Catholic Church doesn’t have a mission, rather the mission, which Jesus Christ started has a Church. When Jesus said to Peter, upon this rock I build my church, Jesus gave the mission to all of his disciples for all of the ages to come. Which today is both you and me.

When we look at the apostles and when we look at Jesus during His ministry. No two disciples, no two encounters with Christ or even parables were ever the same. Why? Because the mission is creative. It is meant to reach and relate to all people. To the rich, the poor, the intellects and the uneducated. It was meant for everyone. So the mission needed to be creative in the various forms and ways that people would understand.

So when we talk about being a creative missionary, it should not limit to the understanding or belief of someone who is good at photography, dance, singing, poetry or any of the fine art skills. Rather to be an effective creative missionary, we are called to know who you are in Christ and how you authentically live out your Christ identity. If you are blessed with the talent and skills of public speaking, then go out and preach the Word of God in front of large crowds. If you are given the gift of music, sing the Word of God. If you can dance, proclaim the Word of God through your body movements. Even if you feel like you have no skills or talent, you can be kind to a stranger and simply smile. A simple act of kindness like holding the door open for someone in a world that promotes individualism and selfishness IS creatively evangelizing.

As YFCs we are young people being and bring Christ wherever we are, by living this out we are all being creative missionaries.

Physical skills and talents you can always learn and acquire over time, practice and dedication. But it all means nothing if we first don’t recognize the heart and reason for it all. And if we don’t already see and know that we are all creative missionaries!

https://youtu.be/VzS-o9oUfJw

In Christ,

Meagan Webb

To the Man I could’ve helped more

A few days ago I had been invited for a mass and dinner downtown with the Sisters of St. Joseph through a good friend. I was duly looking forward to it when I heard about it weeks in advance. Though I was a bit worried and hesitant when the day actually came. This past week we’ve been experiencing extreme freezing weather, strong gusty winds combined with a heavy snow fall, making it even more difficult and longer to get around the GTA than usual. It was so bad the previous night that I wasn’t allowed to go to household due to extremely poor visibility on the roads. The weather forecast called for something similar again, so I was skeptical my parents would allow me out. Plus a small part of me just didn’t want to leave the house in the cold, and I really don’t like going downtown unless I have to, if I’m being honest.

Yet something was urging me to go despite whatever reasons I had in favour not to. Continue reading To the Man I could’ve helped more

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

Lately I have been feeling off. I am not exactly sure why, it’s hard to pinpoint it to one factor. There’s a lot going on in preparation for the upcoming National Leaders Summit, celebrating the 25yrs of CFC-Youth in Canada, being held at Camp Arnes, Manitoba. There’s also quite a bit going on behind the scenes in regards to my service role and the Campus Based program. In addition my weekends are filled with plans of spending time with friends and family at various birthday parties and celebrations. Yet despite having things I could be doing almost every second of my day, I find myself very restless. As much as I trust in the Lords timing of things, and I very much need all the time I have for preparations, I can’t help but feel unsettled and agitated.

I think part of it is also the fact that I am not in control of everything going on in my life. I can only do so much, plan, prepare and submit. Afterwards I’m left waiting for a response, waiting for the verdict, to see what happens next. This isn’t a subtweet to any particular thing happening, but rather literally applies to all aspects of my life right now. What is it that I need to learn in all of this? Perhaps it is that I may not have control over when the hour will come, but I must be prepared nonetheless for when it does. Much like the bridesmaids and having extra oil for their lamps (Matthew 25:1-13).

When being idle or restless, it can be easy to fall into the temptation of sin. And I worry sometimes that I may give into temptation, that I may not be strong enough. Lately, the more I strive to remain in a state of grace, an opportunity comes along where I am able to see how truly strong I am. It can be someone asking advice about particular vices and me being able to honestly help give them courage to overcome it, because I know the struggle it has been to overcome mine. It can be seen going to daily mass and being happy at the fact that I can partake in the Holy Eucharist. Whatever it may be, the Lord gives me these checkpoints where I am able to see where I am. These checkpoints have always existed, and in the past I felt guilt and shame in the moments that I failed. But lately, despite how hard I have been judging myself, I’ve noticed I’ve been clearing the checkpoints. That gives me strength and courage to continue to fight the good fight against sin and temptation. It gives me hope that holiness can in fact be very much attainable for me, and if it can for me, it most definitely can for you!

keep fighting the good fight, every second counts. Be prepared, for we do not know the day or hour. One day our checkpoints will no longer be a checkpoint, but the final test itself.  And when the time comes, I hope and pray both you and I will pass.

In Christ through Mary,

Meagan Webb

New Year…Simply Me

Looking back at my 2018, I can honestly say it’s been a great year, one that I haven’t had in a while. If you’ve read my previous blogs or heard me share in a household then you know the past couple of years were challenging to say the least. So what changed this year? Well first, I won’t say that this year didn’t come with its fair share of challenges and struggles. But perhaps what was different was my attitude and ultimately my trust in God. Continue reading New Year…Simply Me

Christ in Campus

I first and foremost want to honour YOU, anyone reading this who is in school. Whether it is high school or post-secondary, adult classes or continuing education, I honour you for taking on the pursuit to do and to be better. It is a privilege to have access to education, to have the freedom to choose what you want to study, and even to bare all the challenges that come with it.

At the end of August we had our Campus Fresh Party here in the Greater Toronto Area, the first official CFC-Y Campus Based event to kick off our new year (school year that is). I couldn’t help but take note of a few things. One, the start of a school year meant summer was coming to an end. It was a bittersweet feeling for someone who loves the heat and outdoor activities *cough, I really just mean swimming, cough*, but also loves Fall fashion and the comfy feeling of walking around outside in what feels like air-condition. Which led me to my second realization, the season of Fall is the season of change. Yes we will see the temperature drops, the changing of the colours on leaves, and the switch of promotions from citrus fruit and watermelons to apples, pumpkins and various forms of squash. Yet the Fall season also tends to bring an internal change to people. You yourself will start to see a transformation of who you are. Continue reading Christ in Campus

Fear Is A Liar

I’ve been asked over and over again, what is something I personally struggle with most in mission and in general. Typically I would say my laziness. There are times where I procrastinate and times when I know things could have been done or handled better if I only gave a little more effort.

To my surprise in response to that I’ve been told that I don’t seem all that lazy for people have seen the way I work. I’ve been affirmed of how much time, effort and hard work I put into things, and how much I go out of my way at times which others don’t understand why. I don’t do it for recognition, I don’t do it for rewards and I don’t even get paid for a lot of the things I do. Yet whenever people question why I continue to serve in community I get a sense of urgency to tell them all the reasons why and it always leads back to a personal encounter with Christ! Continue reading Fear Is A Liar

Kinsmanship

The last couple of days I spent time with both my upper and lower household. In fact for 48hrs the only people I saw were my household. On Thursday some of us went to Wonderland to celebrate the birthdays of two brothers. One of those brother’s was Vince, who was our Full Time Pastoral Worker (FTPW), and Thursday was his last full day with us here in GTA. If it’s one thing that really stood out amongst all the business and excitement of the day was friendship.

It was truly an honour to seriously be able to call each and everyone I was with a friend. We were hanging out because we wanted to be with each other. It wasn’t out of obligation or because of an event, we were just chilling. I say this not out of bitterness or to throw any shade, but it was something that stood out because I have been in households before where the friendship doesn’t go beyond the meetings and service events. My personal household journey and experience has not always been an easygoing one. I’ve experienced the m.i.a., gone inactive household heads. The only call or text you last-minute when there’s an event household heads. And the awkward small talk, obligated to say hi and bye at an event, household heads. I’ve also had the pleasure of having household heads who were accountable for me. The ones that randomly check up on you. The household heads who are genuine friends and you can be real with about every and anything. In terms of myself being a household head, I’m sure there have been times where I fail. Times where I’ve been a bit of all the aforementioned types, but hopefully I’ve also been able to be accountable to others and to be a friend.

It’s not only about household heads, but the entire household. To be friends with the people you serve with makes a huge difference. Much like when you have a job, it could be the most annoying job in the world but if you have a strong team of co-workers you genuine like and can get along with it makes all the difference!

So after the long day on Thursday, some of us saw Vince off at the airport early Friday morning. I was able to beat the rush hour traffic and make it to morning mass. Not going to lie, I was extremely tired. Wednesday night I had about 3hrs of sleep, and again on Thursday night only another 3hrs. The temptation to skip mass was real as I arrived to the church at 8am and had to wait half an hour. Interestingly enough, in my half-dazed state, what really woke me up was the responsorial psalm where the response was, “Your friends make known Your glorious kinsmanship, O Lord.”

At first I thought I misheard it because it seemed so out of place to me. In a sense it seemed too casual. So I paid closer attention and again the congregation echoed, “Your friends make known Your glorious kinsmanship, O Lord.”

I broke it down into two parts. First, I thought about the Apostles and their journey with Christ. I was up really late Wednesday night talking to a friend in a difference province, I didn’t even feel tired at the time because the conversation was life giving to me. One of the things we talked about was humanizing the saints and thinking about what they were like when they were on earth. For example when they went out on mission together, imagine if they couldn’t sleep because one of the apostles were snoring too loud. It would have been inevitable that they did things to get on each others nerves, but they probably had moments where they trolled each other for fun too. In their journey together they became friends, and not just with each other, but truly friends with Jesus in flesh.

After Jesus’s time on earth they didn’t just stop being friends or forget about Jesus. Rather they accepted the mission that was bestowed upon them and kept going. They had a personal stake in the mission, not just because of fear of the Lord or fear of the loss of heaven, but also because Jesus was their friend! Talk about your original ride or die homies. I found the wording in the responsorial psalm to be very deliberate. It didn’t say “Your followers”, “Your people”, or “Your servants”, but rather it said “Your friends”.

The second part was about the Lord’s glorious kinsmanship. One definition I found for kinsmanship is, “a bond shared between two or more individuals. Its more than friendship…. There is a closeness, a sense of fierce loyalty to someone not of blood relation.” This is the definition I had in my mind when I was at mass. And to be honest I found it profoundly flattering and just unfathomable that the Lord would want to be my friend. The Apostles’ job wasn’t to brag about their friendship with God, but rather invite you and to show God’s great love and how He wants to be in friendship with you! Everything about Christ is rooted in love and in relationships. “God Himself is an eternal exchange of love – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and He has destined for us to share in that exchange.” – CCC 221

And so the Apostles were entrusted to share all that love and all that Jesus had taught them to others. That mission carries on today still through us. Once you’ve received the love of Christ and truly get to know Jesus, you become His friend! And like the responsorial psalm both reminds and instructs us, “Your friends make known your glorious kinsmanship, O Lord.” It is our duty, what we should be doing; let the glorious genuinely deep friendship and love the Lord has for each and everyone for us known to every single person on earth.

I was happy that I was able to experience even a small fraction of this through the Christ centered friendships in my households. I pray that we are able to bring Christ centered love to all our friendships that we have now and in the future.

In Christ,

Meagan Webb