by Joe Christian

Created on: July 25, 2008

Long Ago

When I was twelve or thirteen, and filled with the Spirit of God, speaking-in-tongues at New Covenant Fellowship where I was a member of the early days of the Charismatic Renewal, then already in the 1970's and spreading around the world like a non-boundried Pentecost for everyone! That's what "Charismatic" is, a new Pentecost for everyone!'

The chief shepherd there taught on the Gifts of the Spirit, and one of them was the "Gift of Mercy", which is a person as myself who has it is always looking out for others as well as the larger view, the world view, the big picture, doing social ministry, and always wanting to explain and clarify everything until anyone missing the point, idea or what's going on understands! How can anyone make an educated choice, without knowledge?

When I was eight Jesus had already spoken to me and told me that I was a "Missionary"! But I did not really want to go live in foreign lands in straw huts, sleeping and sitting on straw mats and dirt? Does that make me a selfish little boy of only eight years old?

So having the "Gift of Mercy" and with a calling to be a "Missionary of Jesus", my future was set to be a man never going to be rich or comfortable most likely, as well as a life of personal suffering and sacrifice, while I ministered to those who are poor, suffering, lives filled with sorrows and tragedies? And I have seen much sorrow and many sad tragedies!

And all the while studying and praying and attending Mass and Charismatic Fellowship, and growing from childhood to teen, to young man, all the way having a view to the world and to find ways to meet needy people's needs, owning little personally and having no real funds to do anything that would matter or make a difference anywhere?

And then banished from my own community and people for thinking that I was better than they were, by going off to college so I might learn better how to see and do things to make a positive difference in the world-at-large, as a "Missionary-At-Large", since I had no personal funds, thinking an education might bring the knowledge and wisdom to make a mark in the world for good and to help those in need? But now I have no one from my childhood or youth, having been run away by those that only believe in hard work without any goals for the future to make a difference that matters in the world like the characters but one, from the emotional film "Good Will Hunting"? About personal growth and goals, and completing them by going beyond your old social boundaries!

And now that I am in poor condition and ill from ruining my health in ministering to others needs and forsaking my own, now I am slammed and slandered and called a "bigoted monster" and "Father Nujob" and cast out of the company of the corrupt and the selfish, being ostracized by nearly all for being a humble, suffering follower of Jesus who has learned for myself how to "Take up my own cross for Jesus daily!" And anyone who follows Jesus and concentrates mostly on the needs of others and of the poor is not cool', and end his or her own life as those in the Holy Scriptures before us as Politically Incorrect', alone, with few to no real friends at all, and in danger often and emotionally but not spiritually shipwrecked because of the Faith? Father Joe!

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