It has become common nowadays to hear remarks that the number of God’s calls to religious and priestly life is decreasing compared to earlier times. However, with firm faith in the truth that divine plans never fail, we must strive to move forward courageously, trusting in God through constant prayer. Jesus conducted His public ministry, which lasted three years, with a limited number of twelve disciples. Even when the disciples repeatedly displayed weaknesses, Jesus did not abandon them. Instead, He embraced them and made them capable of fulfilling their ministry.
After the death and resurrection of Jesus, the disciples, gathered in prayer with the Blessed Mary in the Upper Room, received the fullness of the Holy Spirit. They were transformed into persons of great strength and zeal. It was through the apostolic zeal of these Spirit-filled disciples that the message of the Gospel reached different parts of the world and Christianity took root.
It was one single Apostle of Christ, St. Thomas, who brought the flame of the Gospel to India. The Apostle Thomas, who was blessed to see the nail marks on the hands of the Lord, to touch them, and to place his hand in the Lord’s side, set foot on Indian soil with that same fervor and intensity. This great Apostle, who lived in India for twenty years, traveled vast distances and founded various Christian communities. In the end, he was ready to shed his blood and die for the faith.
The Church today is in need of individuals filled with such apostolic zeal, vitality, sincerity, and holiness. The Church in Kerala, which has already contributed numerous zealous missionaries, still has much to accomplish in this field. Missionaries are not limited to priests and religious alone. In recent years, many lay missionaries from the Church in Kerala, even while fulfilling the responsibilities of family life, have undertaken mission journeys and lived in mission centers, becoming effective evangelizers in remarkable ways. Though they may be few in number, their quality and commitment stand out.
“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Matthew 9:37) – this is a phenomenon that Jesus Himself foresaw during His public ministry. Yet, to address this shortage, did not the Lord Himself prescribe the remedy of prayer? “Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matthew 9:38). We can pray, with trust in the word, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).
With the intercessory help of St. Thomas the Apostle, we can firmly believe that the Church in India will continue to grow with apostolic fervor. Prayerfully extending to all the blessings and good wishes of the Dukhrana.
Bishop Sebastian Vaniyapurakal
