Holy and Capable

Saint Daniel Comboni used to point out three main intentions when he asked for prayers: crosses, funds and personnel for the Mission ~ both men and women, that are clothed in the spirit of Jesus Christ and animated by his love... "It is necessary to hurry with great strides in the ways of God and in holiness, and not stop until we reach the promised land." He wrote this in 1870 at the age of 39. Near the end of his life, sick in bed, he reminded a confrere, "Carry on as you have done so far, because I know exactly how you want our missionaries: holy and capable, the one without the other is worth little to one who follows the life of an apostle."

One thing that strikes me about St. Comboni is that he was not born a saint and he even would say, "I am only too certain that I am a long way from holiness". The Comboni missionary tends to be a person who seems a little rough around the edges but listening to the Spirit, they become purified by the grace of the Heart of Christ. It all becomes part of the spiritual journey ~ of which we are all traveling.

Perhaps the greatest comfort in Comboni's witness is this: holiness is not about arriving perfect, but about remaining faithful while unfinished. God doesn't wait for us to smooth our rough edges before calling us to great things—He sanctifies us through the very mission He gives us. The journey itself is the transformation.