These one-liners are worth remembering as they just might help you orient your whole life.
At the Last Supper, Jesus offers his Apostles a one-liner that reminds them of their mission’s origin, saying: It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you to go and bear fruit that will remain. (John 15:16)
The entire Church — including you and me — inherits that mission, and Jesus’ words should be heard as spoken to us, too. We sharpen our sense of mission and purpose when we have a clear vision for how to bear fruit wherever the Lord plants us on a given day.
I’m inspired by Catholic groups and communities with clear visions of their God-given mission and purpose. Here are six such groups and what they say that inspire me in fulfilling my life’s vocation.
The Augustinians: “One mind and one heart intent upon God.”
Pope Leo XIV’s own Order of Saint Augustine summarizes their spirituality with the Latin, Anima una et cor unum in Deum, or One mind and one heart intent upon God. That vision grounded his faith and sense of mission in a strong experience of Christ as found in community. We do well to ask: “Does my mission and purpose show my mind and heart are toward God?”
Cursillo Movement: “Make a friend, be a friend, bring your friend to Christ.”
A Cursillo weekend is a three-day short course on the basics of Christianity that developed in Spain and came to North America. With talks and activities, leaders speak of their faith in such a way that bears fruit in the hearts of attendees. And yet, it begins when you invite a friend.
The Society of Jesus: “To the greater glory of God.”
Jesuit priests and brothers express the meaning for all they do with the Latin phrase: “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam,” or simply, AMDG. They remind themselves to devote every action, thought, and effort to the greater glory of God. Knowing their lives are not about themselves, they seek God’s grace for a life of selfless service. As with Jesuits, and even with everyday tasks, we can ask: “How might I do this for God’s greater glory?”
The Franciscans: “Peace and all good.”
Inspired by Saint Francis’ greeting to people he met, the Latin phrase, Pax et Bonum, expresses the blessing of God and the active pursuit of universal harmony. Used by all Franciscan communities, the greeting expresses a hope that God’s presence touches a person’s life in every way. We can follow the Franciscans’ lead and ask: “How does my life promote active peacemaking, reverence for creation, and solidarity with the poor and vulnerable?”
The Christophers: “It’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”
Born after World War II when the historical suspicion of Catholic loyalty to the U.S. was revived, The Christophers aim to counter that with a positive message for people of all faiths or of no faith. Similarly, we can ask ourselves: “How can I light a candle for a better world?”
Sant’Egidio Community: “Prayer, the Poor, and Peace.”
Founded in Rome, in 1968, by high school teenagers who wanted to serve the poor on the outskirts of Rome, the Sant’Egidio Community has grown to 50,000 members bearing fruit in 73 countries. One of my highlights while in Rome for a sabbatical program was attending their evening prayer at Sant’Egidio Church. We can ask ourselves: “How can my purpose in life better reflect prayer, the poor, and peace among others?”
Of course, there are countless other Catholic groups and communities to inspire us to live the life that God calls us to live. And yet, when you live such a life — a life with a strong sense of mission — you will bear the fruit Jesus spoke of by inspiring still others to live the life God intends them to live.
Pope Leo XIV encourages every Christian to have a missionary purpose, saying: I still consider myself a missionary. My vocation, like that of every Christian, is to be a missionary, to proclaim the Gospel wherever one is. (Pope Leo XIV)
