Lay Life in a Year

52 Reflections on JPII's vision for the Laity

Week 39 – The Mission of the Church

I think we’ve all been there—sitting through a homily when the “mission appeal” part comes up. Our minds drift, we hear the familiar phrases—“mission,” “help the poor,” “time, talent, treasure,” “spread the faith…” —and yet sometimes, it feels like the message gets lost in a sea of words. 

Mission is simple, at its core. St. John Paul II reminds us that our mission is clear: to present the Word of God—and everything else we do should support this!

We often make things so complicated and confusing. We get lost in all the details that we begin to believe our mission only looks like us fundraising, giving blood, selling raffle tickets.

If fundraising and service projects become our mission instead of living out the Word of God, then we find these really good things becoming distractions to our mission instead of helping us fulfill it!

Our mission isn’t just something distant or reserved for trips abroad. It’s lived right here—through the way we treat others, how we speak, and how we carry the Gospel into our everyday lives. It’s simpler than we think , and it begins at home, at work, and in our communities.

We ask God to help strengthen us to live as Christians in this world. It starts small and might be easier than we think. We find little ways to bring the Word of God to the heart of what we do.

Ultimately, our call to action is to focus on Christ, and let Him transform the way we live.

Lay Life in a Year Overview

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Week 47 – A Dominican and A Fortune Cookie

In college, I once went to a Chinese restaurant with a Dominican priest.  I was part of a group that brought Catholic speakers to campus, and after one talk, Father graciously joined us for dinner. When the waiter brought out fortune cookies, Father began unwrapping...

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Week 46 – Holiness Found in Work

​​This nation was built by tireless, hardworking people—a spirit of determination we’ve proudly inherited. There’s a lot of goodness in that. But sometimes, without realizing it, this work ethic can lead us to a dangerous trap: believing our worth comes from how much...

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Week 45 – Human Dignity Can Never Be Taken Away!

A couple of weeks ago, I went on a pilgrimage to Rome, unsure what I was looking for—peace, clarity, maybe both. But as God often does, He surprised me. I met a priest who shared something that cut through the noise of life: no matter what divides us—politics,...

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