Living Our Mission in Faithful Service

As we enter the sacred season of Lent once again, the Lord invites reflection on our faith, leadership, engagement and to renew our commitment to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving—the three pillars that guide us toward greater holiness. These practices are not just obligations but opportunities – conduits even – to the deeply personal experience of relationship with Jesus, allowing Him to shape our hearts and align us more fully with His will.

Keeping Our Focus on the Mission 
In a world filled with strong opinions and debates—especially about Church policies and leadership—it is easy to become distracted by what we cannot change. While there is value in dialogue, our primary call as disciples is to focus on what we can do. Instead of asking, Why aren’t things different?, a better question is, What role can I play right now? God has given us everything we need to grow in holiness within the Church as it stands. When we stay focused on what He is asking of us in the present, we remain mission-focussed, rather than consumed by distractions.

Leading by Example 
Frustrations within our workplaces, (even faith) communities, and families often lead us to critique leadership. While it’s natural to want better leadership, the real question for each of us is: Am I leading well? If we don’t like how we are being led and long for better leadership, are we striving to embody those qualities ourselves?

True leadership is not about power but about service, encouragement, and prayer. Before criticizing, we should ask: Am I setting the example I want to see? Real change begins when we take responsibility for how we lead in our own spheres of influence.

Serving Where We Are Planted 
Lent reminds us that faithfulness is not about waiting for perfect circumstances but about serving where we are. There are seasons when our gifts may not be fully recognized, and it can be tempting to withdraw. However, at the end of our lives, God will not ask if we tried to serve—He will ask where we did. Even when our circumstances feel challenging, we are called to actively offer the unique gifts we have been given. Perhaps a better question than Where am I called? is How am I obedient with what I’ve been given? 

More Than Turning Up 
There is absolute value in turning up—attending Mass, showing up for our communities, and being present. But faithfulness is about more than attendance. True discipleship calls us to participate with our hearts, minds, and actions. Simply being present is not enough; we are called to grow, to give, and to seek a relationship with Jesus. If we settle for a passive faith, we risk missing the transformation that God offers us.

Lent challenges us to go beyond surface-level engagement. Prayer invites us into deeper communion with God. Fasting helps us detach from distractions and focus on what truly matters. Almsgiving reminds us that our time, wisdom, and resources are meant to be shared. For those in later seasons of life, active engagement may look different than it once did, but it remains just as valuable—whether through mentorship, intercessory prayer, or offering encouragement. Faithfulness is not measured by physical ability but by a heart willing to give.

Wisdom from the Church 
The Catechism reminds us that “God… entrusts to every creature the functions it is capable of performing, according to the capacities of its own nature. This mode of governance ought to be followed in social life. The way God acts in governing the world should be imitated in the governance of human communities.” (CCC 1884). St. John Henry Newman beautifully captures this truth: “God has created me to do Him some definite service… He has not created me for naught. I shall do good. I shall do His work.” Each of us has a personal mission within our parish mission. The question is how we are fulfilling it.

A Question for Reflection 
As we journey through Lent, let’s ask ourselves: If I stood before God today, would I have no excuses for how I used my gifts? What can I change? How am I embracing prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in my daily life? May this season be one of renewal—not dwelling on what we cannot control but embracing what we can do today. Let’s live with no excuses, only a heart ready to serve.

Peace and blessings, Fr Josh