Sacraments and Social Mission: The Holy Spirit at Work

Continuing our series Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples, current missioner Hady Mendez writes today about her faith’s relationship to Confirmation, the Holy Spirit, and her response to God through her mission service.

Continuing our series on Sacraments and Social Mission

As much as I tried to fight it, the spirit would not leave me alone. It continued to move in me with or without my consent until at last I had to do what I knew God was calling me to do.

When I serve and walk alongside others, it brings me a peace and joy that I can’t describe and that I cannot receive/experience in any other way.

Connecting with others is connecting with God. 

Recently, I’ve really tried to make the connection mutual — it enhances the feelings of peace and joy even more!

Coming back and serving in the US means that I’m not signing up for two years of service to the Lord, but a lifetime. 

Class 29 missioners in formation

And in actuality, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I don’t want to carve out two years of my life and think that I’m done.

I want to fall deeper in love with God through the people I serve. And the more I can do that, the better.

The Holy Spirit caused the stirring that made me realize I was going to respond to the Lord in a way I never had before. There were a lot of things that fell into place as I was discerning — causing me to realize that this was truly the right path for me. I attribute those things falling into place to the Holy Spirit working in my life.

There are no coincidences in life. Just the Holy Spirit at work.

When I was 14 years old and received the sacrament of confirmation, I never imagined I would go on mission. Back then, I didn’t quite know how I might become a better witness of Christ or be able to spread and defend the faith. But thankfully, I didn’t have to know how all this would happen. That’s where the Holy Spirit comes in.

If you invite God to be part of your life, He will send the Spirit to do what we cannot even imagine.

And thankfully, because of events that took place in my life, I continued to ask God to use me as a servant, to help me do His work, and to have me do His will. And here I am. Because all we need to do is invite God to work through us.

And the Holy Spirit does the rest.