Responsibility // Haylee Lynd

       The Great Commission is instructed to every Christian :  "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..." (Matthew 28:19). It is evident, even in the first few pages of Francisco Garrpe's and Sebastian Rodrigues' introduction, that the two young priests truly feel an admirable responsibility to fulfill this commission, specifically in Japan. They desire to fulfill this calling so much so that they long for Japan, make sacrifices to get there, and make endless sacrifices while there. They put themselves in danger time and time again to to tend the seed of Christianity that has been sown in Japan "lest it wither and die" (27). Juan de Santa Mara, another young priest who desired to go to Japan with Garrpe and Rodrigues but could not due to illness, expresses the responsibility they all feel when he says, "In that stricken land, the Christians have lost their priests and are like a flock of sheep without a shepherd. Someone must go to give them courage and to ensure that the tiny flame of faith does not die out" (12). It is this mindset of the priests that I truly admire. 

     I desire to have such a passion and to feel such a great responsibility for the planting, watering, and maintaining of gospel seeds as these young priests. I admire their thoughtfulness regarding not only making converts but in leading those who have already come to faith in Japan to grow in their faith. Something I have been taught is that you have not truly made a disciple until you have made a disciple-maker. While it is a beautiful and rewarding thing to see someone come to faith, the truth is the young priests cannot convert every Japanese citizen on their own. The strength of the movement in Japan is going to involve those believers that Garrpe and Rodrigues are pouring into sharing the gospel with others who share the gospel with others who share the gospel with others. It is more easily said than done, especially in the setting of great persecution these believers find themselves in, but it is an admirable and worthy goal.


P.S. I commented on Emily's and Bug's posts.

Comments

  1. Emmett BryantApril 11, 2022 at 8:46 PM

    If only people had the desire and the bravery like the two young priests to help the broken hearted. Most of the time many of us struggle to even stick our neck out for others. We are content with helping our small circle of friends and keeping our own life on track and yet we forget that there is a world of hurt out there that needs our help. --Alex Bryant

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