The WORD in other words (2018) by Fr Gil Alejandria SVD – Catholic Trade Manila
Wednesday 14th Week in Ordinary Time
Iam reminded of the years spent in Mindoro and Abra (1984-2002) as I, like the disciples in today’s gospel, responded to the call of proclaiming the Good News. The situation in those times was vastly different from today’s. There were no cell phones, no internet, and road conditions were very rough.
I used to complain about the rough roads until an older missionary would tell me, “Be thankful there is a road now,” implying the absence of roads before. I would note that some bridges were one-way only and too narrow, and I would be told, “Be thankful there is a bridge.”
Now, some younger missionaries would jokingly ask when they get their mission assignment: “Is there a cell phone signal there?” The technological advances we have today would definitely make the task of proclaiming the Word easier, faster, and more capable of reaching wider audiences.
Back then, we did our best with what was available, and tried to cope with various inconveniences. I also began to appreciate the efforts of the pioneering missionaries who labored in earlier times in those places.
I saw also that the methods used by the apostles in proclaiming the Word, which were basically oral and physical, were very effective in converting people who also were witnesses to the hardships and threats to life that the apostles were going through. It would seem that all the technological advances we have now would never match the apostolic zeal displayed by the apostles and our pioneering missionaries in those times.
Technology and other modern conveniences are mere aids in the mission fields. Possession of the true apostolic spirit is still the most basic thing needed in the task of going out to the whole world and proclaiming the Good News of salvation.
