Hands That Serve, Feet That Go

 

"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it."

1 Corinthians 12:27

 

There comes a moment in every believer’s journey when Christ looks us in the eye and says, “Come, follow Me—not just with words, but with your whole life.” This invitation is not limited to missionaries in far-off lands or those wearing a collar. It is for all of us—for the student balancing assignments, the young mother managing her home, the teacher correcting papers late into the night, the professional navigating boardrooms and tight deadlines. 

Wherever we are, Christ is calling us to be His body in a world that is longing for light. 

I know this calling personally. When I stepped into full-time responsibility in the ministry, it was not easy. I had to set aside my career ambitions, delay financial goals, and say ‘no’ to many comforts. Ministry was not just about spiritual work—it came with logistical pressure, constant decisions, sleepless nights and sacrifices no one else could see. There were moments I wanted to quit. But in those very moments, the Lord reminded me why I said ‘yes’ in the first place. 

Even before and after that season, life has never been simpler. As a full-time professional and a student, life is full. Work responsibilities, family needs, academic demands, parish involvement and ministry commitments often overlap. Every day, I feel the stretch. But I am not alone. Many around me carry the same weight with grace. This is the silent army of faithful people who make time for Christ and His mission, even when it costs them comfort. 

This is the beauty of our community: it is made up of ordinary people with extraordinary hearts—engineers, nurses, doctors, teachers, parents, professionals, entrepreneurs—who love the Lord deeply and serve Him boldly amidst their daily lives. This calls for more than casual faith. It demands commitment. It demands planning. It demands discipline. It means saying no to certain comforts so we can say yes to a greater purpose. 

But let us be honest—this path is not easy. It is the harder road—the one filled with unseen sacrifices, perseverance without applause and faith that keeps going even when results are slow. But it is worth it. Because this is how Christ walked. And this is how saints are made.

Pope Francis, who recently entered eternal glory, lived this truth. He reminded us that the Church is not a comfortable place for the perfect, but a field hospital where the wounded are healed. His compassion, humility, and courage continue to inspire a generation. Now, Pope Leo XIV, shaped by his missionary life in Peru, is leading us with a simple, strong example. He walked from village to village, not with a microphone, but with presence, service, and prayer. He teaches us that true leadership begins with sweat, sacrifice and surrender.

So wherever you are today—be it in a classroom, a hospital, a kitchen, a studio, a shop or a corporate office—you are called. Not everyone is asked to leave everything. But all of us are asked to give everything. This mission is not an extra activity. It is the reason we are here.

It calls for deep prayer, listening to His voice, and staying rooted in Scripture. But it also calls for hard work, creativity, time management, communication, financial sacrifice, collaboration, and the ability to work with people who think and speak differently. The mission is spiritual, but it is also practical.

Look at the saints—St. Paul who mapped journeys with precision, St. Teresa of Calcutta who served with systems and compassion and St. Thérèse who transformed the world from her little convent. They remind us: God uses both our heart and our hands.

So ask yourself again: Am I ready to give my best for something bigger than me? Am I truly open to God—not just once a week, but with my whole heart, every single day? You do not need a bulky passport or a microphone and presentations to make an impact. What you need is a heart on fire and a soul that whispers, “Lord, I am Yours. Use me.”

The world is waiting—not for more noise or spectacle—but for someone real. Someone like you.

Receive the Power – Be the Light

 

Receive the Power – Be the Light

 

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts of the Apostles 1:8

World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney holds a special place in my heart. The theme—this very verse from Acts—resonated powerfully throughout the event. I had the privilege of helping prepare the Jesus Youth delegation from India. At that point in my life, it felt like a herculean task. Sleepless nights, last-minute arrangements, unfamiliar systems and the weight of expectations had me utterly exhausted.

But during the actual days of WYD, something happened. Every time the crowd sang, "Receive the Power to be a light unto the world!" it felt like a divine charge being poured into my tired spirit. That simple chorus was no mere lyric—it became my strength.

There is something absolutely incredible about the Holy Spirit. He does not wait for us to be perfect or fully ready. He fills us with power when we are weak, clueless, and frightened—and transforms ordinary hearts into bold witnesses. The apostles were hiding in fear until Pentecost came. But once filled with the Holy Spirit, they spoke with courage, crossed boundaries, faced persecution and carried the Gospel like fire through the known world.

During the early days of my college life when I felt a strong inner call from the Lord. I was not entirely sure what that meant, but I did something quite dramatic. I went out and bought two maps—one of Karnataka and another of the world. Across both, I wrote in bold: “Lord, here I am. Send me as your light to the ends of the world.” In hindsight, I did not really know what I was asking for—but clearly, the Lord took that prayer very seriously!

He first sent me to every corner of Karnataka when I served as the Regional Coordinator. Then He sent me to far-off towns and cities across India as the National Coordinator. At that point, I truly believed I had reached “the ends of the world!” But God, with His gentle humour, had more in His plan—eventually, I found myself travelling to different countries as He called me to serve as the International Coordinator of Jesus Youth.

But here is something I have learnt: “To the ends of the earth” does not always mean getting a passport stamped. Jerusalem is our inner life, our home, our closest circles. Judea represents the neighbourhoods and routines we are used to. Samaria? That is where things get uncomfortable—places, people, or situations that we instinctively avoid. Finally, “the ends of the earth” could simply be the uncomfortable corners of our own hearts, or the hidden places in our daily life where we are most needed.

Look at the lives of heroes like St. Francis Xavier, who travelled oceans to share the Gospel, and St. Thérèse of Lisieux, who never left her convent but became the patron saint of missions. Both responded to the same Holy Spirit, both bore witness—one with his feet, the other with her prayers.

Today, you may not feel strong. You may feel too small, too unqualified or too ordinary. But remember, God is not asking for your strength. He is offering His. The same Spirit who moved through saints and apostles is waiting to fill you.

Ask yourself: Where is my Jerusalem? Who are the people in my daily life God is calling me to love and witness to? What is my Judea and Samaria—those familiar or difficult places I resist entering? And am I willing to whisper that simple prayer again, “Lord, here I am. Send me”?

You do not need a microphone, a stage, or a boarding pass to be His witness. All you need is a heart open to the Spirit—and a willingness to shine. The world, in all its beauty and brokenness, is waiting for your light.

What Is Your 30 Silver Coins?

 

What Is Your 30 Silver Coins?

"What will you give me if I betray him to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver.
Matthew 26:15

Just a few weeks ago during Holy Week, this verse pierced through my personal reflections. Judas—one of the Twelve, one who shared life with Jesus, one who witnessed the impossible—traded Him for thirty silver coins. The man who walked with Jesus, shared meals with Him, saw His miracles, heard His voice, and still betrayed Him. 

Really, Judas? That is all it took? You gave up the Messiah for the price of a slave? 

It is easy to scoff at him. But sit with that verse for a moment. It gets uncomfortable. Because soon, the finger we point at Judas turns slowly back towards us. 

I began to realise how often I, too, betray Jesus—not with coins, but with comfort, pride, laziness and silence.

When I choose convenience over conviction.

When my enthusiasm for ministry dims because I do not feel understood.

When I cut corners in my work or say a harsh word in my home.

When I ignore someone in need because I am too tired.

When I treat my vocation—whether in family, mission, studies or work—as routine and forget that it is sacred.

When I hold back love, or take shortcuts in integrity, or keep Jesus outside certain rooms of my heart.

Those are not bags of silver, sure. But they are still trades. Quiet, subtle exchanges where I choose convenience, comfort, pride—or just indifference—over Christ.

My thirty coins come in many forms. Sometimes they look like being right in an argument, or the thrill of being wanted by people around me or the easy path that avoids discomfort. And each time I choose them, I betray Him again.

And suddenly, I understand Judas a little better. But here is the stunning truth: Jesus is not done with me. He knew Judas would betray Him, and He still washed his feet. He still called him friend. He still offered love even when betrayal was near.

History gives us hope in the life of Saint Peter. He, too, betrayed Jesus—not with silver, but with denial. Not once, but thrice. And yet, Peter did not hang his guilt on a tree like Judas did. He let the gaze of the Risen Lord call him back. He wept bitterly, but he did not walk away. Instead, he ran back. And Jesus restored him. The same man who said, “I do not know the man,” became the rock on which the Church was built.

That is redemption. That is grace. That is the invitation before each of us.

You may be a student battling academic pressure. A young professional buried under stress. A missionary feeling dry. A leader growing tired. A parent juggling fatigue and family. You may even feel like the silver has already changed hands. But Jesus is still at the table. He still calls you friend. He still breaks bread with you.

So today, let your reflection be honest: What are your thirty silver coins? What do you keep trading Jesus for in your daily life? And more importantly—are you ready to give those coins up?

Do not walk away. Bounce back like Peter did. Run to the One who never stopped believing in you. You are worth more than any silver. And He is worth everything.

The Stone That Could Not Stay

 

The Stone That Could Not Stay

 “He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said.”

— Matthew 28:6

 In first-century Judea, tombs were sealed with enormous circular stones, rolled tightly into carved grooves. These stones, weighing over a ton, were meant to remain unmoved—final, silent witnesses of death. But one morning changed everything.

Jesus rose from the dead; not even a one-ton barrier of rock could stand in the way of life. The Resurrection was not just about an empty tomb. It was about a breakthrough no one saw coming. And that same breakthrough power is still moving today—in our lives, our families, our missions, and our communities.

As members of the Jesus Youth movement, we often find ourselves facing heavy stones. But the Easter story reminds us: no stone is too heavy for the Risen Lord. What follows are four truths that speak into our journey and mission today:

1)      Divine Intervention – God Still Shows Up

There are moments in life and mission where everything feels sealed shut. Your efforts in ministry, family and profession are not bearing fruit. A friend you are reaching out to walks further away from faith. You feel unseen and unheard in ministry — even by God.

But the Resurrection tells us: God is never late. He is just getting ready to move the stone.

Saint John Paul II once said, "We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song." We are not called to stare at closed tombs in despair. We are called to trust that God can shake the earth for us, too.

2)      The Stone Is a Symbol – And It Did Not Win

That massive rock was supposed to be the end. But when it rolled away, it became the first announcement of new life. As a Jesus Youth, we see this over and over: in the testimony of a young person, in a leader rekindling zeal after burnout, in a missionary family choosing joy amid uncertainty. The stone did not win then, and it will not win now.

3)      The Victory Is Already Won – We Are Witnesses

Jesus did not need the stone moved to get out. It was rolled away so that we could see in—so we could witness the truth. He had conquered sin, death, and fear. That is why Pope Francis boldly tells young people in Christus Vivit: “Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive!”

Our mission is not to create victory—it is to proclaim it. Even when we feel small. Even when the culture resists. Even when people laugh at our zeal. Jesus has already triumphed. The stone is proof.

4)      The Mission Is Forward – And So Are We

We in Jesus Youth are not museum keepers of a faith that once had power. We are missionaries of a Resurrection that still breaks open sealed spaces. Ours is not a faith that stays behind glass; it walks through campuses, workplaces, homes, parishes, and street corners. We are not called to maintain comfort zones, but to carry the fire of the Resurrection into every space we enter.

Whether you are a student navigating exams, a working professional facing pressure to compromise, a family trying to pray together in a noisy world, or a young person living your mission in a distant land—do not stop.

Our councils and ministry teams may feel worn out. Our outreaches may seem slow. The highly demanding life may drain your energy. But remember: the stone was massive, and it moved. The mission is forward—and so are we.

As we move forward in mission, let us not be disheartened by the heavy stones before us. What is your stone today—fear, fatigue, failure, or something else? Will you surrender it to the Risen Lord and trust Him to move it? The tomb is empty. Are you ready to walk out in faith?