Our Ministry is Jesus' Ministry

(a small reflection on movie Dead Man Walking)

The movie, Dead Man Walking really gives me many inspirations and examples about ministry, an important thing for me who have chosen to live a religious life. For me, what Sister Helen did really shows how my life and ministry as a Jesuit should be. There are two points I want to reflect on Sister Helen’s excellent examples.

Firstly, I want to reflect on the fact that she chose a ministry avoided by others. For me, it really reminds and shows me the Jesuits’ way of proceeding, which was our way of life for many years. When other nuns, even other religious, avoided such ministries, Sister Helen involved herself deeply and totally to this kind of ministry. She really followed Jesus’ example to touch those who are untouched in the society. Some religious tend to choose ministries which make them famous and popular, work with people whom they are comfortable with, but we Jesuits are supposed to choose a ministry avoided by others. This time will be a good time for me to learn and train myself doing my ministry in this way because in Jakarta (philosophical study) I will not be able to be involved in any ministry until I am in my second year of Philosophy.

The second one I want to reflect on is about cura personalis (personal care) which was showed by Sr. Helen in the movie as she accompanied Matthew Poncelet. As she said, “I’m just trying to follow the example of Jesus, who said that a person is not as bad as his worst deed,” She really treated Matthew as a person who needed help while other people despised him as an animal. She didn’t look at what Matthew had done but at him as a human being who needed help. It is just like what Jesus did to the prostitutes and tax collectors. Those people, who were marginalized by society, are usually incapable of experiencing God’s love. And it is our duty to make them capable of it because that is one way to make them realize that their lives are meaningful. It is very hard for them to experience God’s love because their lives are usually very hard and their society usually does not accept them. Once we can do this especially through cura personalis, it will be quite easy to collaborate with them as helpers to their fellow human beings.

The important thing in ministry is that we should always follow Jesus’ example, draw our spirit and energy from Jesus and give up the final result to Him. Our ministry is not our ministry but Jesus’. It is very important to do our best, but it is more important to give up the result to the will of God. He who starts good works will continue and finish them.

I'm just trying to follow the example of Jesus, who said that a person is not as bad as his worst deed.