A Message From Paco Gavrilides

God is at work far beyond our knowledge and expectations!

There is a Scripture verse in the Gospel of John where Jesus says, “But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working still, and I am working.” (John 5:17)

It is noteworthy that God the Father and God the Son are constantly on mission to draw all men into the divine life. The perpetual activity of God’s Spirit moving in the hearts of men implies that we will never come close to appreciating the full extent of God’s work in the world.

Much of the fruit of our efforts to serve in Christ’s mission will not be shown to us in this life. That does not mean, however, that our God hasn’t used us mightily for the spiritual good of others. And sometimes, for our encouragement, the Lord actually makes us aware of how he had worked through us for the sake of another!

Just recently I have been blessed with a few very impressive reminders of how our Lord has blessed some of my efforts in the past to share Christ and promote his work.

The first occasion was when I received a message from a man that was evangelized and brought into the Catholic Church as a result of listening to a semester long debate with a Jewish student on the person of Jesus Christ while I was a student at Central Michigan University. My friend, Jim after having listened to the debate for many weeks he spoke with me privately and told me that he wanted to be a Christian and join the Catholic Church. Forty years have transpired and he communicates with meon Facebook assuring me of his continual walk with the Lord.

The second occasion happened last week when an email came in from Guyana with a testimony of a man who had led a men’s conference in 2009 with a participation of 145 men. Through a priest in Trinidad about a year ago I had sent him some material on how to start a conference and now we have the results!

A final email arrived in my inbox today from a young man who had come to another conference reluctantly and was very touched and changed through it all. He was expressing his gratitude for what God had done for him. That conference in Prince Edward Island, Canada took place in 1975! When our Lord acts in power it is etched in the memory of those who have truly have encountered Him.

Brothers, let’s always be mindful that we are called to “sow the seed” and it will be the Lord of the harvest who will make it grow! Trust the Lord of the Harvest! We who are faithful in sowing can believe that we will bear fruit in due season!! Keep sowing the gospel, men!

Our Father is working still and the disciples of the Son continue working as well.

Paco+